The Broken Road of Fate
by Dreaming Egypt
Summary: A woman finds herself on the open road searching for the one thing she needs most, a family. Taker,Kane,Edge,OCs Chapters 11 & 12 now up!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **_I do NOT own any of the names or characters you recognize in this story...and it's a cryin shame. :sigh:_

**Author's Note:**_ This story was written with a very good friend of mine and she's graciously allowed me to post it here in my name. Hope you enjoy it!_

**Rating:** _This story is rated M for colorful language and all the fun stuff I can think of to happen later..._

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The Broken Road of Fate

The roar of the engine made her smile. Along the long and darkened road, the slight burgundy haired woman felt free for the first time in as long as she could remember. It had been too long since she'd made one of these trips. Then again, it'd been too long since she knew who she was.

Years and years had gone by since she had let herself know what she used to be like. Too many men had come and gone and told her otherwise. This was a new era in her life, she'd told herself over and over again. Since she'd made that declaration, no one had gotten in her way. She'd been alone for a long time and part of her, the bigger part, preferred it that way.

Gunning the throttle on her V-Rod, she tore off down the desolate road. The wind stung her face and her long auburn hair splayed out behind her like flames in the dying desert light. She loved that feeling. It was as if the independence she had forced on herself was screaming back at her, telling her she'd made all the right choices this time.

Somewhere in the distance, she heard the brief keening of a coyote. She smiled wryly again and with no conscious thought, she tipped her head back slightly and answered with a guttural scream. This was her element, open road and wild things living their lives as best they knew how.

Nothing in the desert was oversensitive or complained or cried too much. Oh no, those thoughts were unimaginable out here. With her newfound autonomy, no one would ever say those kinds of things about her again either.

The road made a long sweeping turn and the redhead slowed to take it. All the while, her mind reeled. She gritted her teeth and tried to force the thoughts away but they just wouldn't go.

"Jesus Ash, you're so over emotional…" A voice from the past invaded her conscious mind. Unconsciously, her lips curled into a derisive sneer.

"Never again you fucking bastard." She growled to herself or to the wind, she wasn't sure which.

"If you were more like…" She stopped the memory mid stride.

"I AM NOT THAT PERSON!" She roared. The racing of the motor all but drown her out. She didn't care, the powers that be had heard her, they had helped her get this far.

A light in the distance caught her eye. She wasn't sure how long she'd be riding but she knew it had to be about time for a pit stop. Maybe, she hoped, this would be the place.

It seemed that for the longest time, she was looking for her niche. Somewhere in the big world was a place for her and since she'd kicked over her bike in Detroit and taken off down I-75 she'd had the feeling that she was about to find it. It was like she had been standing on the edge of a sheer cliff waiting. When she'd fired up the engine and taken a long last look at her old apartment before riding away, she thought for sure, she'd jumped.

Everything from that point on seemed to be hurling her toward some unknown destiny. She didn't know why but she was excited, almost expectant.

Somehow, in the back of her mind, she knew if she stopped at the lights ahead everything would come together.

As she drew closer she began to think maybe her instincts were wrong, very, very wrong.

This place fit the roadhouse stereotype.

The auburn haired woman could see that it used to be a farmhouse at some point. Since then however, everything looked like it had gone downhill. The shingled roof was bowing in places. Other places it couldn't even be considered shingled. There were no shingles. The windows were mostly boarded over and the parking lot (if you could call it that) was just desert sand, hard packed from years of tires.

Undeterred, the redhead pulled her bike in next to a few others and killed the engine. Apparently, it was a busy night. Cars of all shapes and makes were littered around the ramshackle building and she could hear what appeared to be a bustling business going on inside.

"It's now or never Ash…" She said to herself as she strode up the three rickety stairs that led to the front door and pushed her way inside.

Immediately she was assaulted on all sides by music from an old jukebox near the back and the sounds of people talking or laughing or fighting. She'd been riding alone for so long with only the sounds of her bike and the night that it was almost more than she could bear.

"What can I get ya?" A grizzled old bartender asked her as she walked up.

"Beer…" She replied without really looking at him. "Whatever you've got in a bottle." The older man nodded and slid it down the bar. The redhead nodded and passed a ten over to him. "Keep the change."

"Thank ya little darlin." He smiled a gap toothed grin but she didn't see it. She was already working her way toward a well-used pool table near the jukebox. There was a familiar clack as two women started up a game of nine-ball. Her beer in hand, she found a ratty stool and sat down to watch.

They were sloppy.

Taking a long pull off her beer she shook her head. This would be too easy.

The two women were laughing and drinking and making the occasional shot but this wasn't anything she couldn't handle. Maybe tonight would be profitable after all?

Half an hour and three beers later, the women managed to sink the nine ball. The taller of the two, another redhead, was dancing wildly around the table proclaiming her victory to everyone within earshot.

Silently, the auburn haired woman weighed her options. Funds were running a bit low but that was no problem. She always managed to make ends meet. These two would be too easy. Besides, they didn't look to have much. She snorted and tipped back her beer. The two women barely qualified as marks.

"Hold the phone, make that three…" Ash muttered to herself as a greasy looking longhaired man walked over to the women.

"I'll play the winner." He said leaning indecently close to the taller redhead. His voice was thick and louder than necessary with alcohol. The shorter of the two, a pixie-like woman with black and blonde hair and startling blue eyes laughed and plopped down four stools from Ash.

"Buy me a beer and we'll talk darlin." The taller redhead flirted leaning on her cue to give the interloper a nice view of her ample cleavage. The grease ball broke into a leering grin and shuffled drunkenly off to the bar.

Ash shook her head. Men were so easy.

After a moment, he returned handing the tall redhead a beer. She smiled seductively taking the bottle from him.

"What do you say we make this fun?" He slurred at her. The redhead's face transformed into a mask of confusion as she sipped gingerly on her beer. A twisted smile broke through his face as he reached into his jacket and pulled out a wad of bills. The redhead's eyes got huge then she smiled back engagingly. Slowly, she reached into the back pocket of her black, military issue, fatigue pants and produced a similar wad. "Oh baby, you're gonna wish you never did that." He growled and ran a dirty finger down her cheek.

Ash groaned.

"Don't think you'd ever be touching me like that kid." She chuckled as she watched the show unfold.

"Rack'em!" The redhead commanded as she propped her black booted foot through the rung of a stool and chalked the end of her cue. The grease ball chucked to himself and did as she told him.

"Ladies first." He mocked as his opponent reached back and pulled what appeared to be a throwing spike out of the bun at the back of her neck. The woman shook her hair free and sauntered over to the cue ball. "I'll tell you what…" He leaned over her as she bent to make her shot. "I'll let you play slop. That way, you'll have chance there beautiful." The redhead stood back and leaned into him.

"If you're gonna make it that easy for me maybe we shouldn't be playing for money." Her voice was tinged with innocence. "I mean, if you're that good I'd like to have some money to get back on the road."

Ash jumped as the pixie woman burst out laughing.

"Well then, I'll tell you what there Tits…" He sneered at her. "I'll give you something to get home on…if you win." He came forward with another wad of money and tossed it down next to the others.

"Are you sure? I…I mean I don't have anymore money on me."

"Oh we'll work it out…. if I win."

Ash snorted and shook her head. This was beginning to be disgusting.

Silently, the redhead looked over to her friend. No words were spoken but Ash felt the electricity between them. Something was about to happen and from the look on the redhead's face it wasn't going to be good for the grease ball.

With a slight inclination of her head, the taller red head resumed her position on the table. Cue poised at the cue ball she aimed.  
"Are you sure about this?" She glanced up at the man with a child like look in her eye.

"Oh yeah baby, I'm sure, more than sure." He said, his voice heavy with the reward he was sure he was about to receive. She shrugged and continued to aim.

"Hey…" She said up to him again, this time a sly grin crept across her dark eyes as he glanced down at her. She winked and let the cue fly, never taking her eyes off him.

There was a loud crack as the cue ball collided with the neat rack. The table all but lit up with flying color. Suddenly there was a solid thunk and the redhead stood up to admire her handy work.

"You crazy bitch!" The grease ball swore as his eyes shot over the table. "You sunk the fucking nine ball!"

"I gave you plenty of opportunity to take your money." She said picking up all three bundles of cash and stuffing them down into her bra. "Have a nice fucking day."

"Stupid whore! You fucking cheated!" He continued. The redhead rolled her eyes and walked over to her friend. The grease ball followed her grabbing her by her arm.

"Take your hands off me." The redhead said venomously, her dark eyes burning through the man's face.

"Give me back my money you cheating bitch." He said wrenching her close to him. The redhead gave a startled squeak as she lost her footing.

Before she had a chance to reply, the brunette was off her stool and behind him, a knife poised to his throat. The grease ball froze.

"Good boy, now let my friend go." She said plainly. Slowly, the man let go of the redhead's wrist and put his hands up in supplication.

"H…hey…c'mon I was just playin around." He stuttered.

"Of course you were…" The redhead cooed to him. There was a nearly inaudible click and Ash caught a hint of silver as the taller woman positioned another knife all too close to the man's groin. "Now, take whatever money you've got left and get the fuck out of here. Okay sweetie?" He nodded nervously and the two women released him.

"Crazy fuckin' bitches…" He muttered and disappeared through the crowd.

Ash watched in amusement as they set up for another game.

"Nice work." She heard herself saying before she could stop herself. The shorter brunette stopped and turned to face her.

"What business is it of yours?" She scowled and stepped closer to her.

"That was a compliment." Ash said leaning against the wall nonchalantly. "You might want to be more grateful."

The brunette raised an eyebrow and looked back to her friend in surprise.

"Well what do you know, this one's got attitude." The tall redhead nodded.

"Yeah she does. Apparently she doesn't know who she's fucking with." The redhead said pulling out her wicked looking knife.

"Neither do you." Ash chuckled.

"Let's go outside." The brunette said calmly. Ash shook her head.

"Go on if you want. I'm not trying to start anything." She said and slid off her stool to grab another beer.

When she returned the brunette was making quick work of some poor schmuck who had obviously missed the previous scene. She shook her head and smirked as she resumed her place on the rickety old stool.

"I've got next game." She called over to them. Both women turned to her.

"Do you now?" The redhead questioned her. Ash nodded and grabbed a cue off the wall.

"You wanna take this one Tanya?" The taller woman asked her friend.

"Nah, there's a dartboard with my name on it." She shrugged. "You can handle it I'm sure."

"Suit yourself." She shrugged as Tanya sauntered off then turned to Ash. "C'mon kid. This is gonna be fun."

"Rack'em." The auburn haired woman said confidently as she threw her hair back into a ponytail and chalked up the end of her cue.

The balls clacked softly as the taller woman snugged the rack tight and removed the guide.

"After you." She said condescendingly and stepped back hooking her big boot into a stool and leaning down on her knee. Ash walked around the table and took aim at the cue ball. "Nine ball is alright with you isn't it?" The redhead added snidely.

"It's just my game." Ash said without taking her eyes off the table. There was a quick inhalation of breath and then CRACK! All nine balls went flying across the felt. With a solid thunk, the number seven ball rolled placidly into the corner pocket. Ash smiled. "One down, eight to go." She said raising a taunting eyebrow to her opponent.

"By all means…" The other woman said motioning toward the table. Ash cocked her head to the side, green eyes flashing annoyance, then shook it off and aimed for her second shot.

Click… the number one ball disappeared into the bowels of the table.

"Seven…" Ash said through her clenched jaw. Her opponent was clapping.

"Go on, please." She said lighting a cigarette out of a tattered pack in her pocket.

"Time to show her how it's done." Ash muttered to herself as she picked her shot at number two. "Two rails and it's in the corner." She said glancing at the other woman. The tall redhead waved her cigarette toward her. Ash cracked her neck and pulled back for the shot. There was a pop as the cue ball collided into the number two forcing it off the far rail and back across the table to the other bumper. Both women watched as it rolled slowly back toward the pocket and glanced off the corner guard spinning back to the center of the green. "Shit."

"Alright little girl, let me show you a thing or two." The tall redhead chuckled stretching and tucking her hair behind her ear. Her black custom cue flashed in the dim light as she made her way over to the table. "Now, you missed. That means its ball in hand." She smiled the smile a shark would if it were to apologize for eating you. "Let's see, where do I want to put this ball?" She sighed oozing condescension as she walked easily around the table. "This'll work." The taller woman glanced up making eye contact with Ash as she set the white ball down among the others. "Watch and learn."

Inside, Ash was furious. How did she miss that shot! Never in a million years should that have happened. The bitch of a redhead wasn't helping her frustration level any either. Deep down, Ash knew it was all a part of her strategy and that just made it worse. She was playing right into her hand but she'd be damned if her opponent would see it.

"You see…er…what was your name?" The redhead asked absently as she sent the cue ball flying and neatly sunk the number two ball. "Oh never mind, it's not that important." She stood up and walked over to the other side of the table taking aim at the three. "It's all a matter of trajectory, force, and geometry." She rambled arrogantly chalking up her cue. "I know exactly where the ball will go and how fast it will get there." She aimed and suddenly the number three was gone. "Maybe, if you're good, I'll teach you." The redhead took a deep drag off of her cigarette and exhaled over the table. The bluish smoke curled eerily in the ragged light.

"Then there's the matter of attitude." She continued aiming. Two rails later, the number four was gone deep into the corner pocket. "You picked the wrong women to fuck with little girl. This is how we live." She stopped looking Ash dead in the eyes. Ash shuddered at the intensity in her dark brown eyes.

As quickly as the intensity was there it was gone and she was aiming at the five. CLACK! It was gone right behind the four.

"Now, control the cue ball." She said wandering to the foot of the table and taking a clear shot on the six. It was gone. "Did you see how it rolled exactly where I wanted it? I could show you that too." She flipped her long red hair out of the way and reached around her back for a shot at the eight. It bounced off three rails and sunk into the side.

Ash's heart dropped into her stomach.

"Finally, there's winning graciously." She laughed. "You'll have to learn that on your own, kid. I don't play for the fun of it." The redhead smiled wryly at the smaller woman and made her shot without taking her eyes off her quarry. The nine ball bounced around the table before sliding back across the green and into her hand that was covering the corner pocket closest to her.

"Jesus Christ…" Ash muttered as her opponent walked over to her, the last ball still shining in her hand.

"Why don't you keep this, hon? Consider it a souvenir from class tonight."

Ash reached out and took the ball staring at it as if tonight was its fault, then dropped it down onto the green.

"Good game." She said and tossed down a wad of bills before turning to leave.

"What the hell is this?" The taller woman called to her before she got far. Ash sighed heavily and, sucking the defeat into her where it wouldn't show, turned back to her.

"Call it a class fee." She said and continued back toward the door.

"KID!" She turned again. "I don't want your fucking money." The redhead grinned, walked over to her, and stuck the money into the waistband of Ash's road soiled jeans.

Ash snorted.

"Take it. I'm not gonna owe you anything." She seethed and threw the money on the floor at the redhead's feet.

"Oh, so you know this game too eh?" She nodded appreciatively. "Smart kid." Ash felt like the redhead's too dark eyes were boring into her brain. "My name is Erica." She continued holding out a hand.

"Ash." The smaller woman returned but didn't shake her hand. Erica raised an eyebrow.

"Maybe not so smart."

"What do you want?" Ash asked crossing her arms over her chest. Erica shrugged and smiled a strange smile. "Whoa, no… Don't even think that. I don't swing that way." Ash blabbered unconsciously stepping away from the other woman. Erica burst out laughing.

"Jesus Christ! You are so not my type." The redhead was near tears.

"So you're gay."

"Hardly dear…I was not coming onto you."

"Oh…" The redness was creeping up Ash's face. "Then…what?"

"I dunno yet. You like riding alone?" Now Ash shrugged. "I didn't think so. What are you looking for, kid?"

For a long moment the auburn haired woman was quiet. What was she looking for? Was this it? Granted, Ash hadn't been much of an angel since she left Detroit but finding two serious hustlers in a shit hole roadside bar couldn't possibly be what the Fates had signed her up for, could it?

"Just getting through I guess." She finally said quietly. Erica laughed.

"C'mon, let's find my friend and the get the hell out of here."

Erica dragged Ash by the arm through the seedy crowd to a row of battered and punctured dart boards in a room Ash hadn't realized was there.

"Watch this…" Erica whispered to her as they crossed the threshold. From the door, they had a perfect view of the brunette woman as she loosed a dart. It stuck firmly into the triple twenty spot. There was a crowd gathered around her and a tall gangly man as they played.

Tanya smiled confidently and let another dart fly. It bit down right next to the first. The drunken spectators let out a ragged cheer. Erica laughed as the aggravation bubbled to the surface of Tanya's opponent's face.

Ash could see Erica and her friend shared the same knowing grin as she let her last dart fly. There was a thump and it stuck making a perfectly straight line with the other two.

The crowd when crazy, screaming and yelling and thrusting beers toward her as they watched.

"TANYA!" Erica yelled and ran a hand through her long hair. "Time to go!" The smaller woman held up a beer and nodded before pounding it.

"Yeah, this place is about tapped out." The short brunette said as she sauntered over to her friend. "What's she doing here?"

"I think she's gonna be riding with us for a little while." Erica cast her dark eyes over Ash again. It made her shiver.

"Whatever…" Her friend shrugged. "Let's go."

"Don't mind her. She warms up slow." The taller woman reassured Ash as they followed the brunette's lead out the front door to their bikes.

"What's your name anyway?" The little woman asked finally as she threw a leg over her red flamed Sportster.

"Tanya, this is Ash. Ash? Tanya." Erica interjected before she kicked over her old black Night Train.

"Ah…Good. Where's your bike?" Tanya asked looking Ash up and down.

"It's the V-Rod on the other side of that truck." She pointed. Both women craned their necks and nodded approvingly.

"Nice ride." Tanya said honestly.

"Yeah, it is. Now, why don't you go get on it so we can get the fuck out of Dodge?" Erica agreed.

"Where are we going?" Ash finally got up the nerve to ask. Both women looked at her strangely.

"To find your destiny kid. Or to hell, whichever comes first." Erica laughed and revved her beast of a bike.  
"LET'S GO!" Tanya called impatiently and walked her bike up so it was parallel with Erica's. "Just try to keep up. Alright?"

"Don't worry about that." Ash chuckled and pulled her bike up to meet theirs.

"Great, then let's go." Tanya said. "Lead on oh red haired one!" She teased Erica. The taller woman rolled her eyes and gunned the engine sending up a cloud of sand as she tore out onto the road, the other two women close behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

The tall red head pulled into a nearly vacant lot, and killed her engine, then waited for the other two to follow in suit.

"Well this place looks better than the shit hole we stayed in last night." Tanya mused hopping off her bike.

Erica smiled and led the three into the lobby. There was a scrawny blond sitting behind the desk reading a magazine.

"Excuse me." Erica said grabbing her attention.

"Oh uh didn't see you standing there." She squeaked in her twangy accent.

Erica took a deep breath and cleared her throat. "We need a room for the night with two beds and a cot." Erica she said flatly.

"Oh well you got a credit card or a suitable way to pay cause we don't take checks from your type." She said in all knowing attitude.

"Look we have cash, and what exactly is OUR type if you don't mind me asking." Erica said her voice thick with anger.

"Oh umm I didn't mean anything by it…" She stuttered.

Erica rolled her eyes and pulled out a wad of cash. "How much is the room?"

The southern woman looked wide eyed at the cash and plunked at her little computer. "It will be five hundred for the night." She smiled holding out her hand.

Erica scrunched her eyebrows up and looked to Tanya and back to the girl.

"It's Jacinda right?" Tanya asked reaching over the desk and grabbing at her nametag.

"Look I know we must look like some girls you can fuck with, but we are not to be played with." The tiny brunette let out a wicked grin, produced a knife, and stabbed it into the desk. "How bout I give you ten bucks for the night, and you take that attitude of yours and shove it up your ass?" She smiled dropping a crumpled bill on the desk.

The small blond turned around and quickly dropped the key to the room on the desk.

"Umm uh the room is on the second floor…have a good night." The blond stuttered and took a step back when Tanya snatched the key up and retrieved her knife.

"Shall we?" Tanya giggled shaking the key at Ashley who was lagging behind them as they walked toward a rickety beat down set of stairs.

"That was brutal." Ashley meekly said looking back to the still shaken desk clerk.

"She's a money grubber; she had to be put in her place." Tanya giggled leading the way down the hall to there room. "Ah this is it, it better be worth the ten dollars we paid for it." Tanya chuckled.

Erica followed Tanya through the door. "You coming?" The red head asked peeking her head out the door. The shorter woman shrugged and walked through the open door. Tanya was sprawled out on a bed humming absently to her self.

"Take a load off." Erica smiled pointing to the empty cot.

Ashley shrugged pulling her long auburn hair into a ponytail. "How long have you guys been at this?" She asked meekly accepting her seat.

"What do you mean? Hustling poor chumps on the road?" Erica smirked raising her eyebrow.

"I mean everything, biking, living on the road, everything." The shorter woman asked trying not to sound too eager.

Erica lit a cigarette and settled back into her headboard. "Well I've been biking since I was fifteen. That makes nine years. My dad taught me how to ride, how to shoot pool, and how to drink." She paused to take a long drag off her cigarette.

"My dad passed when I was sixteen and left me my bike. My mom tried to stop me from riding, I took off that year and have been on the road ever since." She explained putting out her smoke in a cup that she used as and ashtray.

"Tanya on the other hand, was born into this life." Erica smiled looking at Tanya who perked up when she heard her name.

"How so?" Ashley asked raising an eyebrow.

"I was born on one of my mom and dads many trips to Sturgis." She beamed. "My dad used to kid saying it was my fault they were late that year." She laughed. "That was my first time to Sturgis." She smiled.

"…So how did you end up on the road though?" Ashley asked leaning in closer to Tanya as she spoke.

"When I was growing up my dad used to tell me all these amazing stories about his life on the road, like hustling people on the road for money or food. He was amazing at pool and cards, but that was nothing compared to how he played darts."

Tanya paused stealing a cigarette from Erica's open pack. "When he met my mom he was hustling her boyfriend at pool, taking him for all he was worth. She got pissed when her boy friend lost so she challenged him to a game of darts to try and win some of that money back. Well that was the first and only game he ever lost in his life, and he says that he was so moved by her ability, that he knew at that moment that she was the only one for him." Tanya giggled.

"What happened to the boyfriend?" Ashley asked eagerly drawn into her story.

"Hell if I know. I'd imagine not good being that my dad kissed his woman." Tanya chuckled putting her cigarette out into the same cup Erica was using. "When I turned seventeen my dad handed me the keys to my baby, and told me the only way I was going to get life experience was on the road. So here I am, getting life experience." She busted out laughing.

"Wow…your lives are so interesting." Ashley sat back in aw.

"Not so fast Shorty, you know our life stories, how bout yours?" Erica said raising an eyebrow.

"My life's not as interesting." She relented.

"Well let's here it, I don't ride with strangers." Tanya said matter-of-factly. "Okay…well I lived with my boyfriend for two years. He was the one who taught me to ride. Then I ended up here." She said quickly avoiding any details.

Tanya gave Erica an awkward look then looked back to her. "…So you just ended up here. Where did you get your bike, where is the boyfriend?" The small brunette asked.

Ashley looked down and sighed heavily. "After our five year relationship I walked in and he was in bed with what I thought to be my best friend." She looked away.

"Did you rip his balls off?" Erica raised an eyebrow.

"No. I took his beloved bike, he didn't deserve it." She let out a small grin.

"You stole it?" Tanya beamed suddenly very interested in her story.

"Hell I spent my collage tuition to buy him this bike as a surprise, and the only time the bastard would let me ride it was in his presence. I was merely taking what was mine." She laughed out right.

"I think you may have just earned my respect." Tanya laughed.

"…So what are you doing now just riding?" Erica asked.

"Well I'm kinda like Tanya that I'm getting life experience, I'm just roaming trying to find me." She said.

"Where did you learn to play pool?"

"Here and there, random one night encounters, I just kinda picked it up along the way." She said non-committed. "That's not really my thing; I can beat anyone at any card game out there." Erica raised an unenthused eyebrow.

"Oh really." She said in a sarcastic tone.

"Yep I've been playing since I was five my grandpa used me to win money from all his poker friends." She retorted in a giddy tone.

"What time is it?" Tanya asked changing the subject and stealing another smoke from Erica.

"It's ten o'clock, and if you steal another smoke I'm going to punch you." The tall red head growled putting her smokes in her pocket.

"Fine!" Tanya giggled. "I'm bored, I'm gonna go see if there's a bar around here." She said standing up. "You guys wanna come?"

"Sure I'm game." Erica said. "What about you kid?" Erica asked.

"Why not, beats staring at the walls." She chuckled whole-heartedly and followed the other two down the hallway. "Do you think that snot at the desk is going to call the cops on you?" Ashley asked catching up with them.

"Not if she values her life." Tanya laughed leading the way down the stairs. Tanya stopped just short of the desk where Jacinda was sitting pinned to her chair.

"Don't worry I come in peace." The tiny brunette smiled taking a step closer to the desk. "You wouldn't happen to know if there are any half decent bars around here would you?" She asked holding back the urge to laugh at the frightened desk clerk.

"Um not to my recollection, but there's gotta be one out there." She said through a false smile.

"Alright… Then we'll just drive till we find one." Tanya said following the other two to the parking lot.

"Wow, I just wanna hit her really hard; her voice is like nails on a chalk board." Tanya groaned swinging a leg over her bike.

The other two laughed as Tanya kicked over her bike and pulled out ahead of them.

The three rode for an hour before they spotted a small bar on the side of the road. Tanya pulled into the small parking lot and killed her engine and waited for the other two to pull in. Tanya looked around at the stretch of bikes lined up outside the building and nodded.

"I like this place already." She smiled and made her way through the door leaving the others behind. Tanya made her way to the bar quickly and bought three beers for her and her friends.

"There you are slow pokes." Tanya teased handing over a beer to each.

"Hey look a cigarette machine Tanya." Erica smiled pointing at it.

"Alright, alright, point taken." Tanya laughed and made her way to the small vending machine.

"Hey beautiful." Tanya rolled her eyes at the sound of the voice behind her.

"Hey…You." Tanya let out a false smile as she turned to see the very over weight balding man standing behind her.

"…So you here alone?" He continued.

Tanya sized up the man and decided he wasn't worth anything. "Actually no, I'm here with…" Tanya paused for a second and looked around the room and randomly pointed at the largest man in the room. "Him." She smiled spotting a large man sitting alone in the back.

"Him?" The guy questioned taking a step toward her.

"Yeah him." She said stepping away.

"Oh, and his name would be?" He said stepping too close to Tanya for her comfort.

Tanya fumbled through her pocket searching for her knife when she heard an unfamiliar voice come to her aid. "Is he bothering you?" Tanya turned to respond and noticed that it was the guy she had pointed to.

"Um… yeah…No… He's just a jerk." She said quickly and walked away.

"What the hell was all that?" Erica asked noticing Tanya's bright face.

"Me embarrassing the fuck out of myself." She giggled taking a pool stick off the wall.

"Don't look now here comes that guy." Erica smiled.

Tanya paused and watched as he walked over and took a stool four down from Erica and Ashley and faced the bar. Tanya looked at Erica and shrugged walking over to the table and racking the balls on the table.

"How bout a game short stop." A slender dark haired man asked leaning against the table.

Tanya looked to Erica and let out a devious grin. "Okay, but I'm no good at this game." She smiled coyly.

"It's alright I'll go easy on you." He smiled chalking up his stick. "Go ahead and break." He said conceitedly.

"If you insist." Tanya said in her best attempt to sound helpless. The man winked and waved for her to take her shot.

Tanya took her jacket off and draped it over the chair next to Erica, and walked over to the table. "Here goes nothing." She smiled leaning over the table and taking her first shot. "Your turn." She smiled offering him her stick.

"That's alright hun I have one of my own." He winked and took his shot. He nailed the cue ball and it sent the yellow ball sailing into the pocket.

"Looks like I'm solids. That means that your stripes, sweetie." He smiled and leaned down to take his next shot.

Tanya rolled her eyes and cocked an eyebrow up to Erica, then turned her full attention back to the game in front of her. The tall man cracked the cue again and scratched. Tanya squeaked and retrieved the ball from the pocket.

"My turn." She beamed. Tanya leaned down and aimed the ball up with a clear shot at the purple striped ball and sent it to the pocket it was sitting in front of.

"Ooh, ooh I got one." Tanya giggled jumping up and down. The man grabbed her waist as she leaned down to take another shot. Tanya took in a deep breath and took her next shot and sunk two more balls.

"I did it again!" She squeaked. Tanya turned so she was facing him. He pinned her between himself and the table.

"I've got an idea." She smiled pushing him away with one hand and stepped around the table and took aim at her next shot, deliberately missing.

"Grrr I missed." She pouted.

"What's your idea little one?" He smiled stepping close enough to her so she could smell his breath.

"Just for fun why don't we play for money?" She smiles tucking a lock of blond and black hair behind an ear.

"You'll lose." He said plainly.

"I don't care it's for fun." She giggled watching him sink two more.

"You wanna bet on the rest of this game, I mean you might as well hand the cash over now." He boasted.

Tanya cocked an eyebrow up. "Yeah I wanna bet on this game." She locked eyes with her friend who was still watching every move and smiled coyly. "How much you wanna throw down?" She asked fumbling through the pocket of her jacket.

"I dunno, how much do you wanna give me?" He chuckled loudly to himself.

"Oh I dunno, how bout, a thousand?" She said flatly.

"A thousand?" He raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"What is that not a suitable amount?" She said reaching in her pocket and producing another wad of money.

"You do realize I'm going to rob you right?" He said leaning against the table.

"I don't care, its just money. We're just having fun." She smiled. "Well if you don't wanna bet…" She paused stuffing the money back in her pocket.

"No, no let's do this, it could be fun." He smiled wickedly as he chalked up his stick.

"Okay, I believe it's still your shot." She smiled setting a wad of bills on the corner of the table.

The man reached into his pocket and produced a similar size pile of bills and set it on the table next to hers. He leaned down and lined up his shot. He cracked the cue ball and sent it barreling down the table, knocking two of her balls in.

"Thank you." she beamed. "You just might win this for me." She giggled. Tanya walked around the table and sized up her shot. She leaned down locking eyes with him and nailed the cue sending another ball into the pocket. She walked over to her jacket and produced a cigarette. "You got a light hun?" She asked smiling up at him.

He fumbled through his pockets and pulled out a lighter.

"Here you go sugar." He winked lighting her it for her.

"Thank you baby." She smiled taking aim and sending her last ball into the pocket. Tanya wandered around the table sizing up her shot. "Here we go, left corner pocket." She giggled and banked the ball off the side sending it to her proper home.

"I guess this means I beat you huh?" She smiled toothily and swiped both the stacks of cash and crammed it into her pocket, then turned and joined her friends at the bar.

"I think you got a little eager there." Erica laughed watching the guy stand slack jawed still unaware of what had just happened.

"That was too easy, he won it for me." She giggled viciously.

"You went right for the kill, a thousand." Erica laughed.

"I think I maybe put down a hundred at most on the table." She laughed amused by herself.

"Okay, okay how bout another game, let me try and win my money back." The lanky guy said regaining his composure.

"Nah I won fair and square." She said matter-of-factly.

"Okay then, how bout a game of darts, double or nothing?" He asked grasping at straws.

"Double or nothing?" She smiled.

"Yeah, double or nothing."

"Alright you got it." She smiled leading him to the dartboards. Tanya reached in her pocket and produced a wad of money and set it on a stool by the dartboards. The man followed in suit emptying his pockets and wallet on the stool. "You first she smiled handing him three darts and taking a seat at a stool behind him.

"So…I'm here with you huh?" A thick Texas accent grabbed her attention from behind.

"I…Um…yeah… I… Uh…" She stuttered. The large man chuckled and shook his head.

"It's alright." He smiled. "The name's Mark." He smiled offering his hand.

"Tanya…" She smiles accepting his hand.

"You're up." He nodded pointing her toward the board.

"Oh yeah." She smiled walking over and accepting her darts. She looked to her friend but noticed she was lost in a trance staring at the large man behind her.

Tanya chuckled and shrugged it off and looked to Ashley who was watching eagerly like a student. Tanya smiled and sent the first dart flying into the triple twenty spot. With out pause she sent the second and third into the same spot.

"Your turn." She smiled handing him the darts and wondering back to the spot where she was sitting.

She chuckled softly to herself at the look on her opponents face.

"How about after you finish hustling this guy, I buy you and your friends a drink?" He smiled.

"Are you hitting on me?" She asked gave him an awkward look.

The large Texan broke out in laughter and shook his head. "Jumpy one aren't you?" he continued. Tanya pouted and wandered over to take her turn again same as before.

"I don't know why you waste all your time aiming." She mused flinging her third dart into the board staring directly at him. The man dropped his head and grabbed the darts. Tanya took her seat again.

"You're cute and all hun but you're not exactly my type." He said before she could speak.

"Good you're not mine either." She snapped.

"Hostile too I see." He laughed.

"If you stop talking right now I'll let you buy me and my friends a drink." She smiled and took her spot in front of the dartboard.

"Why do I even pretend to look?" She laughed out right and turned away from the board. "The trick is to trust yourself." She smiled and sent the darts to the triple twenty. Tanya quickly swiped the money up and shoved it all in her pocket.

"Here take fifty bucks so you don't feel like a total loser." She stuffed the bill in his shirt pocket and wandered to her friend's side.

"Who's that?" Erica let out a huge smile.

"I have no clue but I have all his money." She giggled.

"No, not that loser; the guy you were talking to over there." The tall red head smiled pointing in his direction.

"Oh, I believe his name is Mark. He wants to buy us a drink." She shrugged.

"Well let him." The red head gushed smiling like a goon.

Tanya rolled her eyes and turned in his direction. "Yo…Mark, how bout those drinks?" She yelled waving him over to where she was standing.

"So I get the privilege of buying you drinks eh?" He smiled turning to the bar tender. "Four beers." He called placing some bills on the counter. "So, I'm acquainted with Tanya here, what would your names be?" He asked looking between the other girls.

"I'm Erica, and this is Ashley." Erica said shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you." He smiled.

Tanya looked around and beamed at the sight of a tall blond man walking through the door. "I'll be back I smell a loser." Tanya squeaked before making her way to the entrance.

Mark shook his head and turned his attention to the girls.

"So you wanna try and hustle me." He mocked.

"It's no fun you know our game." Erica relented.

"How bout we just play no cash?" Mark asked raising an eyebrow.

"That's even less fun." Erica chuckled.

"Okay so we'll do it this way, if you win I'll buy you a drink." He smiled taking a step toward the red head.

"…And if you win?" Erica asked looking into his deep green eyes.

"Well I say we play it by ear." He smiled absently putting his hand on hers. "Erica smiled and pulled her hand free.

"It's not fair you get to pick what you get if you win, I should be able to, too." She play-pouted at him.

"Alright, you're on Red." He smiled returning her stare.

Ashley felt the tension of the flirting between the two and decided to excuse her self to find what Tanya was up to. She wandered to the dartboard and found Tanya straddling a stool and blabbering at a tall blond who had his back to her.

"This game sucks." The blond said.

"You just think it sucks because you're no good at it." She giggled.

"Where did you learn to play like that?" He asked pulling up a stool to her.

"If you ask my mom she'll say her, but if you ask my dad he'll say from him. The truth of it is. I picked it up over the years from the both of them." She explained.

"Hey Ashley, why don't you join us?" Tanya squeaked waving her over. Ashley walked over and took the stool next to Tanya. "This is my new friend Adam. Adam, Ashley." Ashley sat silent for a moment not sure of what to say.

Ashley locked eyes with him for a moment drawn into his intense blue eyes.

"So how old are you girls?" He asked finding something to say. "I'm twenty–one and Ashley is…How old are you?" Tanya giggled.

"Twenty." The small red head laughed shaking her head.

"Crap I left my coat by the bar I'll be right back." The pixie girl said hopping up and wandering to the bar. She took a stool and watched as her friend danced around the table taking an occasional shot.

"You do realize I've never lost a game in my life." The tall Texan drawled.

"There's a first for everything." The red head winked taking another shot sending yet another ball into the pocket. The Texan sat back and watched her sink the last ball.

"I won!" She sang. "That means I get what I want." She smiled up at him.

"Well what do I owe you?" He asked raising an eyebrow. She smiled toothily and bit her lip.

"I'll have to think about that." She teased taking a seat next to Tanya. "I mean there are so many things you could give me." She sang playfully. "What do you think Tanya?" She giggled turning to her pint-sized friend.

The short brunette shook her head. "Maybe you should just kiss him and get it over with?" Tanya said flatly giving her friend an evil look.

Erica got wide eyed and looked to the floor. In all the time she spent on the road she'd never seen her friend get like this over any guy. The Texan let a small smile escape.

"Well how bout after my friend Adam gets here we go some where else and grab some food." He said.

"Does your Adam have long blond hair?" Tanya asked.

"…Yeah…" he said raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah I left him by the dart boards with Ash." She smiled wandering off in that direction.

"So about what I owe you." He smirked taking a hold on her hips and pulling her close to him. He leaned close and kissed her softly on her lips.

"You're gonna have to do better than that." She grinned wickedly.

"Let's get out of here." Tanya said snapping Erica out of her revelry. "I found the children can we get out of here now?" Tanya giggled.

"Children…. I'm older than you." Adam chuckled.

"Yeah but I believe I schooled you today." She laughed out right.

Adam shook his head as he followed the group out side.

"Nice ride." Mark smiled as he watched Erica mount her beast. Erica smiled toothily.

"Thank you she's my baby." She chuckled kicking the bike over.

"Where are we going?" Tanya asked pulling her bike out next to the others.

"You'll see." Mark laughed and led them out onto the road.


	3. Chapter 3

"Hey what do ya know…another bar..." Tanya said sardonically as their little group pulled into the parking lot behind Mark.

"Good food though." The big man returned glancing over his shoulder to watch as Erica set her kickstand and swung a leg over her bike. He smiled as she wiped some road dust from her thighs and headed over, lighting a cigarette on the way.

"Jesus Mark, you're gonna make me eat here again?" Adam moped pulling a rubber band out of his hair.

"You're damn right I am. I like this place." He grinned.

"So I take it you two frequent this area?" Erica smirked up at the two men as she stretched and reached for the door.

"This place is scary." Adam leaned over to Tanya to say. The small woman laughed and shook her head.

"Wait…wait a second, we're missing someone." Erica said stopping and craning her neck around her group to find Ash. She was still sitting on her bike. The taller redhead waved them all inside and walked back to the younger woman.

"What's the problem little girl?" She asked propping her foot up on the front peg of Ash's bike.

"Nothing…"

"Then, get off the bike and c'mon." She said.

"I…I'll be there in a second." Ash said looking down toward the gravel parking lot.

"No dear, you're coming now. I'm not giving you the chance to bolt on us now." Erica grinned and held a hand out for her new friend as she stepped away from her bike.

"Why do you care?" The smaller woman spat, her face becoming the perfect mask of misery. Erica's eyebrows pulled together in an almost motherly frown. Just as quickly as the look came it was gone, replaced by the hardened exterior Ash had met in the bar.

"Get off the bike, put one foot in front of the other, get your happy ass into that bar, and have some fun with us." She commanded.

"What do you know about those guys?" Ash finally asked. Erica nodded seeing the root of her hesitation.

"Absolutely nothing. They're fun to look at though, and they'll buy drinks. First rule of living this way my dear, never turn down free anything." She smiled wickedly and yanked on Ash's arm.

"I don't trust them."

"Neither do I. No one said we had to. Let's go." Erica said tugging again. Finally, Ash relented and swung off of her bike. "YES! That's my girl. Now let's go find us someone to steal from." The thought brought a slight smirk to the auburn haired woman's face and she headed, albeit hesitantly, into the dirty old bar.

"Girl talk?" Mark teased as he saw them weaving through the tables toward them.

"Sure, we were talking about how your ass looks in those jeans." Erica returned plopping down next to him and accepting a beer.

"Burgers are on the way." Tanya said tipping back a bottle of her own. Both women nodded

"So… Ashley?" Adam began from across the table. "What are you doing out here with these two?" The little girl blushed and was grateful when Mark handed her a cold bottle as well. She took a long drink, grimaced, and nodded a thanks to the big man.

"She's searching for her destiny." Erica answered for her, leaning back in her chair. Adam ran a hand through his long hair and arched an eyebrow at Ash.

"Destiny huh? That's a pretty tall order." He reached for something to say.

"It's better than what I was doing." Ash shrugged.

"And that was…" He prodded.

"Oh you know, stealing bikes, running away from home." Tanya said breezily. Ash shot her a look of horror.

"Stealing bikes?" Adam blurted. "I don't think I want to know." He made a show of checking his pockets for his keys. Producing them from the inner pocket of his leather jacket, he smiled triumphantly.

"No…it wasn't like that." Ash blushed. "It was…technically my bike. I bought it and everything was in my name. All I did was liberate it. She was made to be ridden, not locked up in a garage for half the year." Adam smiled nodding appreciatively.

"And what a bike she is…" He smiled, sipping a glass of what looked like water, and smiled the most dazzling smile Ash had ever seen.

"So… who's got the next round? I'm empty here." Tanya broke in shaking an amber bottle with some foam in the bottom.

"Oh, I'm on it." Erica said standing and polishing off her own beer. Mark grabbed her wrist and yanked her down to him planting a soft kiss against her lips. Erica's breath caught in her throat.

"No baby girl, I've got it." He smirked at her. "Then I want a rematch." He winked then glanced at a pool table in the back before standing to belly up to the bar.

"What the hell was that?" Tanya laughed as she watched him go.

"I have…no idea." Erica blushed and sat heavily back down as the food arrived.

"Just… so you know…" Adam offered. "He doesn't do that." A deep red flush crept up Erica's cheeks and she tried to shrink down into her chair.

"Ladies…" Mark said handing off bottles. "Adam…" He set down another glass of clear liquid in front of his friend.

"Our rematch will have to wait." Erica said digging into her burger.

"But I will get it before we leave this place, woman." He growled sitting down and pulling a plate toward him.

"Same stakes?" Erica grinned slyly.

"Or…we could up the ante." He smirked popping a fry into his mouth. "Where are y'all staying tonight?"

"Whoa! If you guys wanna up your stakes and all go right ahead but if you're putting your asses on the line literally, do it somewhere we don't have to watch." Tanya said scooting away from the table.

"Don't get yourself all worked up there shorty. We haven't found ourselves a place to stay yet tonight." He laughed at the brunette's discomfiture. "If I win back my self respect we split the room."

"And if I win again and maintain my hold on your self respect?" Erica laughed. Mark snaked an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to him.

"You won't win again." He whispered into her ear and touched his lips to the soft skin at the nape of her neck. Erica shivered and turned to meet his deep green eyes. There was something utterly playful and dangerous hiding there. No matter how many times she told herself she didn't trust him, she found herself wanting to desperately.

"Let's get this done." She smirked and stood, moving away from him, her hips swaying as she headed out of the bar to retrieve her cue from her bike. "You ready to lose kid?" She taunted as she breezed by him to the table.

"Rack'em." He growled and stood up to follow her.

"This is gonna get ugly, you know that right?" Adam chuckled to the two women left at the table. "I've never seen him lose to anyone."

"What do you think he'll do?" Ash asked apprehensively. Adam shrugged and playfully kicked her foot under the table.

"I wouldn't worry too much. If I know the old man the way I think I do, I'd say he's got it bad for your friend there."

"WOW!" Tanya blurted. "What was your first clue?" Adam stuck his tongue out at her.

Suddenly, Ash turned her head, her eyes searching for something in the crowd.

"I'll be back…" She said absently and got up apparently having found what she was looking for. The two people left shrugged and turned to see the outcome of the game of pool.

"Did you just wanna give up now sweetheart?" Mark grinned as he stood at one side of the table and grinned. In this game of eight ball, he only had one ball left to go. Erica hadn't even gotten a shot off.

"Oh no. By all means, choke." She smiled back as she took a drag off her cigarette. The big man chuckled and walked over to the cue ball.

"You know, these'll kill you." He said snatching her cigarette out of her mouth and taking a long drag himself. "You really should quit."

"Just make your shot kid." She frowned and took it back. Mark glanced down at her and rolled his eyes before leaning over the table for the shot. He pulled back smoothly on his cue and in one fluid motion sent it forward crashing into the white ball. It exploded against the eight ball, bouncing it across the table toward a pocket. It bounced in and then back out and rolled forlornly back across the green.

"Son-of-a…" He cursed and thumped his cue on the worn wooden floor. "Your shot." He said taking the cigarette from her again and replacing it with his lips. Dimly, Erica felt his arms slide across her back as the kiss deepened. Then, as abruptly as it started, he pulled away, a satisfied grin on his face. "Go on." He whispered and nudged her toward the cue ball.

"Right." She said shakily, tearing her gaze from his heavily lidded eyes and eyed up her shot.

She didn't take her eyes off the table again until it was cleared.

"Best of three?" She smirked walking around the table to him and gently removing a beer from his hand. Mark took the hint and pulled her close again.

"Hell no." He laughed as she put his bottle to her lips. "I've got to save what little face I have now."

"So what's my prize?" She teased, her face inches from his.

"I don't believe we ever discussed that." He said quietly brushing his nose gently against hers. Erica smiled and opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by a group of women giggling like schoolgirls very close to them. She frowned and turned to find the source.

"Why are they looking at you like that?" She asked after the women gave Mark a hearty once over and glared daggers at her. Mark looked over and stiffened.

"I…have no idea. Maybe they're just jealous of you."

"Hey Taker!" One of them called. "Dump the ring rat. We'll show you a good time." A big haired blonde boasted. Her three friends just cackled.

Erica's formerly peaceful façade crumbled into a mask of anger.

"What'd you call me?" She turned to them.

"You heard me fine, fucking ring rat." She went on, obviously emboldened by liquor.

Mark felt her tense.

"Don't do it, it's not worth it." He cautioned her as she pulled out of his arms and stalked over to the drunken women.

"Care to say that again?" She responded calmly, folding her tattooed arms across her chest.

"How'd you pull that off?" The blonde asked snidely tilting her chin at Mark as she spoke.

"How is that any of your business?"

"Fuckin ring rats, you're nothing but whores." She went on.

"Wait…did you just call me a whore?" Erica hissed at the blonde, taking a step closer, crowding her into her friends.

"You're with Taker, what else could you possibly be?"

"Say it again." Erica coaxed.

"Fucking whore…" The trailer trash grinned as she spoke. The redhead nodded resolutely and before any of them saw it coming, swung and hit the instigator with a perfectly placed right hook.

Her friends screamed as she staggered backward and fell onto them.

"Stupid bitch." Erica stated matter-of-factly and turned to walk back to Mark when the blonde caught her with a forearm in the back of the head.

Quick as a cat, Erica turned and lunged, grabbing her by the throat and squeezing.

"What'd you call me you redneck piece of shit?" She growled as the woman flailed in her grasp. She cocked back her free hand, ready to destroy her profile when huge arms circled her waist and pulled her off of the other woman.

"Get her off me Matt! Fuckin kill her!" The blonde rasped as she coughed, rubbing her throat.

"Yeah Matt, kill me, I dare you." Erica growled and worked her hand to her pocket.

"Are you done you crazy bitch?" The man holding her asked, his voice was thick with alcohol. She stopped fighting. "Maybe you're not so fuckin stupid after all." He laughed and loosened his grip. It was just the opening she needed.

As soon as she had room to move, Erica spun in his arms and slashed him across the chest.

"Mother fucker!" He yelled and staggered backward. "The stupid bitch cut me!" The look on the meathead's face changed to pure rage and he charged cocked back to swing on her. Erica ducked it easily and brought an elbow down between his shoulder blades as his momentum carried him past. He grunted and hit the floor.

"My problem is not with you, ya stupid shit!" She yelled and transferred her gaze back to the blonde. "It's with you." She pointed with the blade in her hand. The blonde paled, her eyes were as big as dinner plates.

Before Erica could get to her, Matt swept her legs sending her to the floor. Her knife went skittering across the broken boards and Matt's big knee came down on her neck.

"Dare me now, bitch!" He snarled and pressed down. Erica gasped and shoved up on him with all she had. It was just enough send him back down to the floor. She jumped to her feet and put her boot square into his ribs. He coughed and curled up to protect himself. She threw another kick and caught him in the arm. His hand shot out and grabbed her foot. The redhead staggered and backed up right into the blonde's waiting arms. Pinned, Erica could only watch as Matt regained his footing and walked over to her.

He didn't say a word, just hauled back and belted her, closed fisted, in the jaw.

He may have been drunk and dumb but he hit like a truck. Erica rocked slightly then growled tasting her own blood she stared malevolently at him.

"HEY!" A voice came from behind them all. Tanya roared a sound Erica didn't know she had in her and flew at the big redneck, spearing him square in his bruised ribs. He made a sound like a tire deflating and staggered backward into the far wall.

"Don't you EVER fucking touch her!" The little brunette growled and grabbing both sides of his head, gave him a vicious head butt. Matt sagged and finally slid down the wall. Tanya smirked and dropped the hair she'd managed to rip out of his head as he fell, and then cocked back kicking him with everything she had in the groin. "Stupid, mullet wearing, redneck, fuck!"

Behind her she heard Erica talking. Taking one last look at the groaning man on the floor she turned her attention to her friend. Erica had the blonde pinned down on a table, her boot knife positioned snugly at the blondes jaw line.

"So we're done huh?" Her friend was saying. The blonde looked to be crying but she still wouldn't drop it.

"Get off me…" She grumbled bravely but her eyes told something different. "Fucking ring rat whore." Tanya heard Erica suck in a deep breath, and then she backhanded her. The blonde squeaked and jerked sending a glass to the floor.

"I'm a whore huh?" Erica laughed and brought the blade up quickly along the curve of her jaw. "Now I'm a whore you'll remember." She let go of her.

The blonde was too horrified to move even as Erica wiped her blade off on her shirt and turned to walk away.

"I think it's time to go." She chuckled walking past Mark and hurried, taking apart her cue, and shoving it back into its case. "Where are Ash and Adam?" Mark pointed to a table not terribly far away. Tanya glanced at the look on Erica's face and nodded, wandering over to retrieve the rest of their entourage.

"That was something you pulled there, baby girl." Mark giggled snatching up his jacket off the back of a chair and following her out the door.

"Nothing new here." She shrugged and packed her cue away on the back of her saddle.

"Come here." He said taking her hand and pulling her to him again. "First off, you dropped this." The big man smiled and dropped her pocket knife in her hand.

"Aw… thanks. I love this knife. I thought it was gone that time." She smiled wryly and hooked it back against her right hip where it belonged.

"And second…" He continued running a hand through her hair before leaning down and kissing her more passionately. His hand slid down the side of her face and she jerked.

"Jesus! That guy had fists like cinder blocks." She poked at her swelling jaw with her index finger. "Great, that's gonna leave a mark." She shuffled her feet. "And to top it off, that was such a buzz kill." Mark laughed outright and wrapped her tight to his torso.

"How bout we find a store and some liquor of our own and go back to your room. Maybe we can keep you out of trouble that way." She could tell he was smiling and nodded against the rumble of his slight drawl in his chest.

"What the hell happened!" Ash yelled flying out the door toward them. "I was playing cards, I missed the whole thing!"

"Someone said something about you and I thought I should defend your honor." Erica said seriously.

"What?" The auburn haired woman yelled. "Who? I'll kick her bar ho ass!" Erica glanced at Tanya as she walked over and gave her an appreciative nod. Tanya returned it. Both women knew this little girl would fit in just fine.

"Actually, someone just flew off the handle." Mark corrected her, his green eyes flashing playfully at the woman still hugged snugly against his body.

"So now what?" Adam yawned and stretched. "Hey, did you know she can work a game of poker?" He pointed at Ash. She blushed.

"So that's your hustle huh?" Tanya grinned. "I saw you play pool. I knew that couldn't be it."

"Hey, I'm better than most people out here!" Ash retorted flashing Tanya a look of false hurt.

"So…plans?" Adam asked again.

"Well now, that depends on baby girl here." Mark started. "It depends on what she wants from me since she won again."

"Hmmm…" Erica muttered as she pushed off his chest and stood back to take in all of him. "Let's get out of here." She suggested and walked over to her bike, folding the kickstand and kicking over the engine.

"Where are we going?" Adam asked but still managed to find his way to his bike to follow her.

"Back to the motel. I think I'm unfit to be in public right now." She laughed, her hand unconsciously rubbing her sore jaw.

"We're all going back?" Ash asked skeptically.

"Yeah, these guys need a place to crash tonight." Erica said. "Let's go. I want to find a liquor store on the way."

"Alright then, let's roll people." Tanya said kick starting her Sportster and walking it up to Erica.  
The rest of the group followed suit and before long, everyone was back on the highway.

The five of them made their way safely from the bar to a store and back to the motel and went inside.

"Aw…it looks like my friend Jacinda isn't here." Tanya pouted as they passed the empty desk.

"She probably quit." Ash chuckled. Erica nodded and made her way upstairs and unlocked their door.

"C'mon in guys, home sweet home." She said wearily. Everyone but Mark complied.

"There's something I wanna say to you." He sounded almost nervous as he shut the door in front of them.

"Go ahead."

"For as long as I can remember, my brother and I have had this running joke. I always said that I'd marry the first woman who met three criteria."

"And?" She pressed as he hesitated.

"Well, I said I'd marry the first woman who rode a bike, could beat me on a pool table, and could drink me under a table." Erica wasn't sure but she thought he was blushing.

"And you're telling me this…why?" She grinned.

"You've got two out of three so far, baby girl. I'm just giving you fair warning." He chuckled. "You match me shot for shot and I'm gonna have to keep you."

"What? Bar fighting doesn't win me brownie points?" She smirked walking forward to put her arms around his waist. The big man chuckled and kissed her on top of the head.

"Don't give me ideas girl." He teased then lifted her chin so he could reach her lips. "Let's get inside and see if you're really my soul mate, shall we?" Erica slapped him playfully on the chest and opened the door.


	4. Chapter 4

Tanya woke with a thud as Mark kicked the side of the bed she was sleeping on.

"Hello?" He mumbled answering his phone. Tanya pulled her face out of where it was planted finding she had crashed out face down in Adams crotch.

She blinked getting a bearing on her surroundings. Mark was arched between the two beds. Erica was on the floor with one leg on him and the other in his lap. She was mangled with one arm in her shirt and a red thong.

"What did they do last night?" She chuckled to her self. Mark flipped the phone shut and dropped it again. As soon as it hit the floor it rang again the noise was loud and obnoxious Tanya grabbed her head flinching.

"Hello?" Mark mumbled kicking off the bed grabbing it. Tanya flung off the bed snatching the phone from his hand.

"Do you know what time it is?" She yelled making her already painful head ach worse.

"Uh… Who is this?" A deep voice came from the other line.

"That isn't…Hey I asked you a question first! It's too damn early to be calling people don't you know that?" She yelled again grabbing her head.

"I'm sorry I didn't know four in the afternoon was early." The man said sarcastically. "Can I talk to my brother now?" He asked.

"Fuck off!" She yelled hanging it up and dropping the phone in Marks lap.

"Who was that?" Mark smirked, moving Erica so she was no longer flung over him.

"Your brother." She said quietly looking for Ashley who seemed to be missing.

"Where are you pants woman?" Mark chuckled looking at her. Tanya looked down spotting her black thong and shrugged.

"I guess we all were busy last night." She laughed.

"There you are." Tanya burst out laughing spotting Ashley lying face down on the fire escape. "Wake up!" She yelled pounding on the window. There was no movement. "Wake up, WAKE UP!" She yelled pounding harder on the window again.

The tiny auburn haired woman moved to her back and cracked an eye open.

"What the hell are you doing out there?" The brunette laughed.

"I got sick." She mumbled crawling through the small crawl space back inside.

"Why do you still have all your clothes on?" Tanya asked in a fake jealous tone.

"Cause we played strip poker. I won a lot." She laughed.

Tanya looked to the bed and noticed Adam was regaining consciousness. "I feel like I got hit in the face with a truck." He muttered sitting up.

"You're preaching to the choir." Tanya mused.

"Why don't you have pants on?" He asked, scratching his head.

"Oh that's nothing I woke up with my face in your crotch." She laughed. Adam blushed and shot his eyes to the floor.

"It seems you beat everyone last night." Mark smiled to Ashley as she spotted the nearly naked Erica still sleeping on the floor.

"Yeah I even beat you." She beamed, pointing to his shoeless feet.

"Well I'll be damned big bad Taker lost a card game." Adam laughed out right.

"Taker?" Tanya raised an eyebrow as she wandered out of the bathroom.

"It's a stupid joke." Mark said giving Adam an awkward glance.

"Riiiight." Tanya said raising an eyebrow. "So you wanna wake up Erica so we can eat and get back on the road?" She asked before wandering back in the bathroom.

Mark leaned over Erica and kissed her softly on the cheek "Wake up baby girl.' He drawled.

Erica cracked an eye open and closed it again. Then, she opened her eyes wide again noticing the large man leaning over her with a smile on his face. Without rationalizing, she started swinging at him.

"Not so fast mother fucker!" She yelled clocking him in the jaw before pulling her arm back in her shirt.

"Good morning to you too." He chuckled rubbing his jaw. Erica's face turned a dark color of red as she realized whom her attacker was.

"Sorry, I guess Tanya didn't warn you that I'm not the best morning person." She smiled hesitantly.

"It's okay." He smiled leaning in and giving her a small kiss on her lips.

"Alright who gave me a hickey?" Tanya blurted busting out of the bathroom holding up the edge of her shirt showing the small bruise on her hip.

"That'd be Adam." Ashley giggled. Tanya looked to Adam with a panicked look then back to her.

"What did we do last night?" She said an octave higher than her normal voice. "You guys made out a lot. Then you guys thought it was funny to give each other hickies." Tanya made a face like she just drank sour milk, and laughed walking in the bathroom.

"What was that face about?" Adam asked looking to Erica.

"I think that was her nice way of saying you're not her type." Mark smirked answering him.

"Where are my pants?" Erica gasped suddenly noticing a lack of clothes. Tanya wandered back out of the bathroom and chucked them at here head.

"Get dressed so we can get out of here." She chuckled pulling on her own.

The five got dressed and packed there the things and made there way to the lobby. "Jacinda!" Tanya beamed spotting the desk clerk as she walked through the door.

"Oh… hi…" She muttered taking a step back as Tanya walked toward her.

"I guess this is good bye." Tanya smiled offering her hand. The small desk clerk flinched visibly letting out a faint shriek as she ran into the back room. Tanya began laughing hysterically.

"I thought we were friends." She snorted leading the others to the lot.

"Where to?" Erica smiled to Tanya. Tanya took a deep breath, fishing through her pockets retrieving a pair of sunglasses.

"Left?" She shrugged smiling.

"Sounds good to me." The red head nodded pulling on her own sunglasses.

"Left it is then." The short brunette giggled kicking over her engine. The tall blond gave Mark a confused look then shook it off as the girls pulled a head.

"You comin?" Erica called over the roar of here engine. Both men nodded as the girls led the way. About a mile down the road Tanya spotted a small diner on the road and signaled for the rest of them to pull in as she turned. Tanya hopped off her bike and shook her head as the others pulled in.

"You guys are slow." She chastised.

"Sorry some of us aren't as good at kicking a hang over as others." Mark said walking into the diner hooking Erica's arm playfully as he walked.

"I feel like I should be skipping or something." Erica laughed.

"I do not skip." Mark chuckled.

"Where do you wanna sit?" Mark asked looking around at the nearly empty diner.

"Here is good." She smiled taking a booth in the back. The others flooded in Tanya plopped down and smirked at Adam as he cautiously took a seat next to her. Ashley grabbed a chair and pulled it to the edge of the table. An over weight old woman wondered over to the table and set down menus on the corner of the table.

"Hi y'all my name is Bertha welcome to Poppit's Coney Island. I'll be your waitress." She let out a freakishly large smile at Adam as he grabbed his menu. "Can I get y'all something to drink?" She asked in her nasal accent.

"I think we'll all be having coffee." Mark chuckled looking around the table at the agreeing faces.

"That has to be the most formal greeting I've ever gotten at a diner ever." Tanya giggled.

The swinging door to the kitchen flung open and a wild eyed tall skinny man scurried out of the kitchen over to the table.

"Hi my name is Jason, but everyone calls me Poppit, and this is my restaurant." He rambled in one breath. "Can I get you any thing do you want water or some food, what ever you order is on the house; you just give the word and it's free. Bertha, you here me? Everything if free for The Undertaker, and his friends." He smiled at the group.

"You don't feel odd accepting free things because you're …" The wiry man trailed off when he set eyes on Adam on the other side of the booth. "You're, you're Edge." He beamed.

"Can I get your autographs to put in my wall?" He smiled shuffling through his pockets and pulling out a pen and paper. Mark scrunched his eyebrows up and signed his name on the paper and shot it across the table to Adam who did the same before passing it back. The man clutched the piece of paper to his chest and ran back into the kitchen.

Tanya cleared her throat and shot a look to Mark.

"Undertaker? Edge?" She asked raising an eyebrow.

"Those are our ring names." He said plainly looking away.

"Ring names?" She questioned further.

'Okay…we're professional wrestlers." He answered looking to them for response.

"Like…Grrr?" Tanya said flexing at them. Mark laughed and patted her on the head.

"Is that the international sign for wrestling?" Adam laughed.

"I dunno; it's first thing that came to mind." She laughed.

"Yes like Grrr." He giggled mocking her body movements.

"So you're like on TV?" Tanya asked raising her eyebrow to Erica.

"Yeah we're pretty famous." He said quietly.

"Wow, I feel like a jackass." Erica said accepting her coffee as the waitress returned to the table.

"Why do you say that?" said sipping his coffee.

"Cause you're all famous and stuff, and what are we nothing? Nobodies?" She chuckled to herself dumping sugar in her cup.

"I wouldn't go around calling yourself nothing after all you are my soul mate." He smiled impishly grabbing her hand. Erica smiled as he leaned in kissing her softly on the cheek.

"Wow enough of this cutesy crap I want food." Tanya chuckled waving the waitress over. "Yeah… I want the number two with hash browns and lots of butter on my pancakes." She smiled handing the waitress her menu.

"That sounds good I'll have the same." Ashley smiled handing over her menu.

"Just coffee here." Mark said.

"Can I have a hamburger and fries? Adam said.

The waitress smiled nodding as she scribbled in her little pad. "And you ma'am?" she asked looking to Erica.

"I'll have a bagel with cream cheese." She smiled handing over the menu. "I don't know about that whole soul mate thing." She smiled up at him returning a kiss.

"Oh why not?" He raised an eyebrow pulling her so she was sitting next to him.

Erica opened her mouth to speak but was hushed when Mark planted a kiss on her.

"I was gonna say cause you haven't even given me a real kiss but I guess you took care of that." She blushed leaning in for another kiss.

"Wow, its like were not even here." Tanya mused.

Erica looked to her and stuck out her tongue as Tanya showed a vulgar finger.

"Ooh food!" Tanya beamed spotting the waitress as she exited the kitchen followed by Poppit.

"Tell me how you like it I cooked it myself! Hope you like it." He said quickly before returning to the kitchen.

"That guy ain't right…" Tanya mumbled stealing one of Adams fries.

Mark jumped at the sound of the same familiar annoying ring of his phone.

"Hello?" He said.

"She's not a piece of ass!" He yelled slamming his hand on the counter.

"She's a friend."

"Yeah that's all!" He continued.

Tanya looked up from her pancakes eyeballing him. "He's talking about me isn't he?" She asked.

Mark attempted to put his hand up but Tanya snatched the phone before he could react.

"I'm guessing this is the brother right!" She yelled.

"Yeah this would be him." He answered.

"Look I'm not a whore, and if I was I sure as hell wouldn't be putting out for your brother." She paused.

"No offense." She whispered putting her hand over the receiver. Mark shook his head and smiled as she went back to yelling at his brother.

"You have some nerve, you don't even know me. What right do you have to think…" Tanya snapped the phone shut and handed it back to him. "He hung up on me." She pouted.

Then she picked up the phone and started scrolling through the phone book.

"Just what do you think you're doing little girl?" He asked grabbing at the phone.

"I'm gonna call him back." She smiled mischievously.

"He's Glen." He said nonchalantly as she continued scrolling through the book. Tanya smiled wickedly and hit the send button.

"Hello?" the voice came from the other end.

"Glen?" she asked.

"Oh not this again, I'm not in the mood to fight with a stranger. I was just wondering when my brother was going to come back to work." He said quickly.

Tanya paused putting her hand over the phone.

"He wants to know when you're coming back to work." She whispered.

"In a couple of weeks." Mark smiled.

"He says when he damn well feels like it." She smiled as Mark shook his head at her. "Or two weeks what ever comes first." She beamed.

"Alright then... Can I talk to Mark?" He asked.

"He's busy playing kissy face with my friend right now." She laughed out right.

"Okay then I guess I'll let you go then." He said softly.

"No, I'm not done talking to you." She giggled. "Hold on."

"Move." She said scooting Adam out of the booth and walked off talking on the phone.

"Where is she going?" Mark asked watching her walk outside.

"Hell if I know looks like she likes your brother after all." She laughed stealing a pancake from Tanya's abandoned plate.

"That could be a good thing for him." Mark said matter-of-factly.

"Why do you say that?" Erica asked.

"His brother has been a hermit for the past year. He sticks to himself, and doesn't go out of his way to meet people." Adam answered.

"…And you think Tanya, what? Is going to be his savior?" She teased.

"Well Tanya isn't exactly shy…"

"…And you think she's going to start a relationship over the phone?" She giggled.

"Well no... I thought maybe, you could come visit us when we go back to work…" He said hesitantly looking into her eyes.

"Well I can't say for everyone, we'll have to see where we're at then." She smiled kissing him softly on the cheek.

"Here comes the savior now." Ashley smiled spotting Tanya walking in with a huge smile on her face.

"He sounds nice." Tanya smiled making Adam move over as she sat.

"Can I have my phone back?" he asked holding his hand out.

"Oh yeah." She giggled dropping the phone in his hand.

"They want us to come visit them at one of their shows." Erica smirked to Tanya.

"We'll that all depends on where the road takes us." Tanya said raising an eyebrow.

"Speaking of which…" Erica said.

"Yeah it's about time to get back on the road." Tanya agreed.

"Are we still going left?" Ashley chuckled.

"Sounds good to me, why don't you lead this time?" Erica smiled leading the group outside.

"I guess so, but if I get lost?" She relented.

"I'm going to tell you the first thing I learned when I hit the road. You can't get lost when you don't know where you're going." Tanya smiled swinging a leg over her bike.

Mark grabbed Erica and pulled her tightly to him. "Can I have a kiss before you go?" He asked leaning toward her.

"I thought you were coming with us." She looked up at him with an almost painful look.

"I didn't think we were invited." He said plainly.

"We'll you are." She smiled broadly pulling him down in a kiss.

"Not again…get on your bike already old man." Adam chuckled. Mark smiled knowingly to him and got on his bike.

"Lead the way little lady!" He boomed over his motor and pulled out on to the road behind them.


	5. Chapter 5

Time flew by for the five of them as they made their way back and forth across the desert. The three women got them thrown out of more bars than their new friends could count but it was all in fun. So what if some people were too proud to admit a woman had beaten them over a pool table, or a dartboard, or a table full of cards.

Mark and Adam were awed by them. Here was this group of women like none they'd ever seen. Sure, Mark had spent his share of time on the road but never had he met anyone like these three. Tanya was as independent as they came and had more energy than should rightfully belong to one person. Sometimes she came off as brash or rude but underneath was a fun loving, brutally funny person. Ashley was young and tough. Both men could plainly see she'd been hurt but there was an innate sweetness in her green eyes that melted Adam's heart. Then there was Erica. She was the oldest of the three and just as strong and no-nonsense as her friends but it was masked by this calm, collected exterior. She was an open book and she loved her friends with an almost sisterly ferocity.

Each of them had something the two men admired and drew them to them. Neither of them were sure how, but these three had made themselves integral parts of their lives and their time with them was getting shorter by the hour. Neither Adam nor Mark wanted to admit it, but soon, they'd have to go back to their regular lives.

The sun was just beginning to touch the horizon when the small, auburn haired woman put her right arm out to signal her turn. Her four friends followed as she killed her engine in the parking lot of a tiny, out of the way, truck stop.

"What are we doing here?" Erica called over the rumble of the engines.

"Have to pee! NOW!" The younger woman giggled and yanked off her helmet before racing off toward the door of the rundown gas station.

"Well that's a little more information than I needed today." Tanya giggled but she put down her kickstand and followed her inside. Erica shook her head and leaned backward over her saddle stretching her back.

"Hey darlin." Mark grinned walking up to her and blocking the sunlight across her face.

"Hey yourself." She smiled broadly as he looked down over her.

"Were you ladies planning on stopping tonight or just pushing though?" He asked crouching down and folding his arms over her thigh.

"You'll have to talk to those two. I'm just riding along today." She chuckled and pulled the rubber bands out of her long red hair.

"You guys want anything? I'm going inside." Adam asked walking up to Erica's blacked out bike.

"Caffeine!" The two of them said in unison. Adam raised an eyebrow and shook his head before walking away.

"Do you ever wear a helmet girl?" The big man asked standing and mussing her hair.

"Only when the law makes me." She smiled wryly up at him before swatting his hand away. Mark shot her a frown. "Hey, I grew up knowing that when my number was up, it was up. No amount of DOT endorsed plastic is gonna stop it." The big man shrugged and leaned down, kissing her softly on the lips.

"I just worry about you is all." He drawled. Erica loved his soft Texas accent. "I found ya, I'm not about to lose ya."

"You mean, if I had a closed head injury and was drooling down my chin you wouldn't want to hang out with me anymore?" She said as sweetly as possible. Mark rolled his eyes and tugged on her arm.

"C'mon, let's see what they're up to."

Cool artificial air hit Adam when he walked through the old glass door. He sighed and nodded to the uncomfortable looking country boy behind the counter before he ducked down one of the aisles. The big blonde couldn't help but smile when he found the two women. Tanya was wearing a beer hat and Ashley had on the ugliest pair of sunglasses he'd ever seen. Both of them were laughing heartily at a rack of bumper stickers.

"Jesus loves you." Ashley said to him as he walked up.

"But everyone else thinks you're an asshole." Tanya finished for her.

"Oh, that's nice." He chuckled dryly.

"But wait… there's more!" Ashley giggled spinning the rack to a different side. "I need someone very bad. Are you very bad?" She read. Adam shook his head.

"So I take it you two are having fun?" He said as Tanya stuck a beanie with a propeller on it on his head. Adam removed it.

"Never better. Especially now that you're here." Ashley teased stepping closer to him. Adam stiffened as she touched his arm. "How YOU doin?" She said in a bad Italian accent.

"Um…good?" He asked pleadingly, his pale eyebrows bunching into an uncomfortable frown.

"Oh for cryin'…" Tanya sighed at his expression, pinching the bridge of her nose between her thumb and forefinger. "Don't look so afraid. We don't bite."

"Much…" Ashley finished dancing past him and brushing into his arm again. Adam made an audible squeak and turned letting his eyes follow her as she walked down the aisle away from him. He couldn't help but smirk as he watched her go.

"Well well…" Tanya said as he turned back to the bumper stickers. Adam's hand froze on the rack.

"What!" He asked incredulously, his eyes as big as saucers. Tanya couldn't help but grin as a faint redness came up in his cheeks.

"Nothing dear. Not a damn thing." She smiled up at him. Adam's eyebrows came together in a disconcerted frown and he became significantly more interested in the display than what she was saying. "Don't worry; I won't say anything to the little girl."

"So, are you guys about ready to get back on the road?" Mark said, his voice saving Adam from further interrogation.

"Huh? Oh yeah. Let's get going." The big blonde jumped before anyone else could disagree.

"Hey guys!" Ashley called as she came barreling up to them. "We've gotta stay here tonight!"

"And why do we have to do that?" Erica chuckled.

"There's a HUGE poker tournament! I've got to enter!" The smaller woman squeaked as she jumped up and down with the flyer in her hand.

"We can do that." Mark smiled down at her. "Where's the tournament?"

"There's a bar and a motel not too far. I had the shop guy over there call and make reservations for us."

"So we've already got rooms?" Erica asked sagging against Mark's arm. Ash nodded simply. "Fabulous. I need a nap." She yawned.

"I could use some sleep too. It feels like we've been riding for days." Mark agreed.

"That's because we have genius." Tanya laughed, throwing her beer hat at him. He caught it and set it back on top of her head.

"Alright. Where is this fabled motel?" Adam asked as he stifled a yawn of his own.

"Just behind the store." Ash told him. Her four friends raised their eyebrows. "Well, it's actually back a ways, and down a mesa."

"Can we get the bikes back there?" Erica asked as they all headed toward the front of the store.

"Sure can ma'am." The country boy at the register answered smiling broadly at the redhead as she walked up. "There's a dirt road just back to the west of the parking lot. It should do the bikes just fine."

"Why thank ya kindly." Erica smiled, affecting her best southern drawl and dropped an armload of sodas on the counter.

"Anytime ma'am." He smiled wider than the group thought possible.

Ashley and Tanya glanced over at Mark. The poor kid's flirting was more than obvious and the two women were afraid their very large friend might just take exception to it.

"Thank ya ma'am. Come back anytime ma'am…" He started ringing her up and bagging her sodas. "Or should I call you something else?" He pressed boldly, his sparkling blue eyes dancing as he handed Erica her change. Tanya couldn't be sure, but it looked like he was trying to hold onto her hand.

"Yeah, you can call her Mrs. Calloway." Mark grumbled snatching the bag off the counter and staring the poor kid down. Adam stifled a giggle and ushered the other two women out the door.

"Ah…" The kid nodded looking slightly flustered. "Y'all have a great day then."

"Yeah…great day…" Mark muttered and took Erica's hand without ever taking his eyes off the kid. "You ready to go baby girl?"

"After you." The redhead chuckled. Mark nodded resolutely toward the clerk and headed out the door with Erica trailing slightly behind.

The heat outside hit them like a fist in the gut but Mark didn't slow down until he reached her bike and had stowed the sodas safely inside her saddle bag. Their friends had already saddled up and were waiting to leave. Erica touched Mark gently on the shoulder as he headed off for his own bike.

"What was that about?" She asked. Mark put up a hand as he walked away but didn't answer. The redhead raised and eyebrow and watched him swing his long muscular leg over his saddle and kicked the engine into life.

"C'mon! Let's go!" Ashley yelled to them inching her bike toward the dirt path ahead of them. "I want to get signed up!" Tanya raised her hand in acknowledgement as she and Adam moved up to meet her. Erica glanced back once more at Mark on his bike. He seemed preoccupied. She made a mental note to talk to him about it later. At that moment, all she was terribly concerned with was a very long nap. Shaking her head once more, she stood and kicked down hard, her Night Train roaring into life, and gunned the throttle kicking up sand and rocks as she tore down the path behind her friends.

Before they'd even checked in, Ashley had stolen Adam and headed off to find the registration for the tournament leaving her three friends to deal with the rooms. None of them seemed to mind. Erica looked like she'd been awake for a month. Tanya looked tired as well but it seemed she couldn't sit still. No sooner than they'd taken in their things, the small brunette had disappeared into the bar.

"I need a shower…" Erica grumbled as she flopped down onto one of the beds. The artificial cold was making her sleepier still.

"So go get into the shower baby girl." Mark offered. Erica lifted her head and shot him an incredulous look.

"Thank you oh great king of the obvious." She laughed and forced herself to crawl off the end of the bed. "I think I will."

Mark waved her off as he kicked off his big black boots and positioned himself against the headboard, television remote in hand.

"Care to join me?" The redhead asked, leering at him from around the bathroom door just as Mark pulled his filthy black T-shirt over his head. He raised his eyebrow and threw it at her. "I'll take that as a no…" She muttered and threw it back at him.

"What are you doin? I don't want it, it's sweaty." He chuckled.

"Keep your own sweat Taker." She grinned evilly.

"Don't call me that." The big man said becoming suddenly serious. "I don't want you to call me by my stage name. I want you to know me for me, darlin."

"I'm sorry. I was just…" Erica stumbled over her words.

"I know baby girl." He reassured her, his eyes were flashing with emotions Erica couldn't place. "Go get in the shower." Nodding slowly, the redhead disappeared into the bathroom locking the door behind her.

Half an hour later, she emerged dirt free and feeling a thousand percent better. The room was still empty save for Mark, now snoring loudly against the flat motel pillows. Erica couldn't help but grin when she saw him. He looked so cute, almost vulnerable laying there half dressed with one leg hanging over the edge and the remote control sitting squarely in the center of his chest.

"Aw Geez…" She giggled and pulled a tank top and shorts out of her bag. She slid into them and eased herself up next to the big Texan. Instinctively, he wrapped his arm tight around her, pulling her to his chest as he slept. The redhead sighed contentedly and picked up the remote, scanning channels while she listened to the steady beat of his heart. Before long, her eyes were drooping as well. She abandoned the TV and curled herself against his side. She yawned heavily and before she knew it, she was out as well.

Erica could hear the phone ringing but she refused to move to get it. How dare someone call just as she was falling asleep! The redhead felt Mark stir next to her and rolled away from him, cuddling up to the itchy motel comforter.

The bed squeaked softly as he stood up. Erica tried to protest but she wasn't entirely sure the sound made it out of her mouth.

"Hello?" She heard him say groggily. Apparently he'd answered the phone. "What? What do you mean she got arrested?" Erica shot to attention.

"Who got arrested!" She asked crawling to kneel at the end of the bed next to him. Mark raised his hand for silence.

"Ok…Ok…" Mark's voice was agitated, his tone apprehensive. "Where is it? No, the police station you idiot. Where are they holding her? Did they take her bike?"

Erica chewed her lip in frustration. She could only hear one side of the conversation and she didn't like what she was hearing one bit.

"What? What's going on? Who's in jail?" Erica pestered him. Mark shot her a look and put his finger to his lips. Erica sighed heavily and slumped down silently, waiting.

"Alright. We'll be right there. Yes, we'll get her bike too. Ok, bye." Mark snapped the phone shut and looked over at Erica, his eyes dark.

"What's going on Mark?" The big man sighed heavily and ran a hand through his hair.

"Ashley got arrested." He said simply.

"WHAT? What do you mean she got arrested? She hasn't had time to get arrested!"

"Look at the clock baby girl, we missed the whole tournament." Erica raised her eyebrow at him but turned at looked at the clock. It was three thirty in the morning.

"SHIT!" Erica squeaked and jumped off the bed, grabbing a pair of old jeans out of her saddlebag and darting into the bathroom to change. "What'd she get arrested for?" She called from the other room.

"I don't know. That was Adam on the phone and he didn't tell me much more than where to go. I guess she got into a fight with someone during a game. Apparently, it was her fault."

"How could she do that much damage? She's so small! I mean, have you looked at her?" Erica muttered as she wandered back toward the bed and pulled on her boots. "Let's go find out what's going on." Mark nodded and pulled a black thermal shirt over his head before following her out the motel door.

"Whoa, we can't take your bike darlin. We've got to pick hers up from the bar." Mark called out when he saw her walking toward her own bike.

"Where are the keys?" The redhead asked climbing onto the back of Mark's chopper.

"Tanya said she and Adam stuck them in her saddlebag. They were going to impound it but they managed to persuade the police to leave it where it was if someone came to pick it up." Erica sighed heavily and softly pounded her forehead off of Mark's back in frustration.

"Alright. Let's get this over with." She grumbled and wrapped her arms around the big man's waist. He nodded and pulled up the kickstand before gunning the throttle and racing back up the dirt road and onto the interstate.

After a short trek to the bar, Erica retrieved Ashley's V-Rod and followed Mark back to the road. It was a good forty five minutes to the police station. The redhead couldn't believe they called it a station. When she killed the engine and looked up, she was greeted with something straight out of Maybury. It was a very small building complete with well maintained shutters covering all the windows. The light inside cast strange shadows through them. Erica could see the silhouettes of bars behind the deceiving shutters.

"You ready?" Mark asked, walking up and putting his hands on her shoulders. She nodded and leaned back against him momentarily before making her way up the freshly painted steps and into the office.

A bell jingled above the door as they walked in. Tanya and Adam were sitting against the wall staring at nothing and waiting.

"What happened?" Erica asked stalking over to them, a murderous but worried look in her eyes.

"Well…" Tanya sighed and rubbed at her eye with the back of one very bruised hand. "Ash was winning. It was the last game and she caught the guy across from her cheating or something. We couldn't really see from where we were standing."

"All we could see was Ashley throw her chair back and grab the guy by his shirt." Adam continued.

"The guy put his hands up and like a dozen cards fell out of his sleeve." Tanya chuckled. "I guess Ashley lost it. She just pulled back and clocked the guy."

"I think she broke his nose." Adam giggled.

"Ashley hit the guy?" Mark asked chuckling as he walked up and leaned against the railing separating the waiting area from the desk. Tanya nodded. "Who'd have thought that little girl could do that kind of damage."

"Then what happened?" Erica pressed.

"The guy fell over in his chair grabbing his face. He must've had a lot of friends because the next thing we knew, these three guys dove on her." Adam said.

"Erica, she didn't have a chance!" Tanya breathed and held up her swollen hand. "I managed to work my way down there. I got one of them before the crowd reacted and started rushing the table. Then I got thrown back."

"So how'd she manage to be the lucky one in handcuffs?" Mark asked shifting his weight and crossing his arms over his chest.

"She started it. They're holding her responsible for the whole mess." Tanya explained. "And the guy whose nose she broke, I guess he's pressing charges."

"Jesus Tap-Dancing Christ!" Erica sighed and rolled her neck around until it cracked loud enough to make her friends flinch.

"Can I help you?" An officer asked them as he came into the room. Startled, Erica glanced up and walked over to the desk.

"What's the bail on the woman from the tournament tonight?" She asked through her clenched teeth. The cop stared at her for a moment then looked down flipping pages idly in a large ledger book.

"It's been paid. She's being processed out." He told her as he adjusted his glasses and sat back heavily in a wooden desk chair. It creaked a protest under his ample weight.

"Wha…" Erica stammered and blinked at him.

"It's been paid. Go sit down until we process her through." He repeated. The irritation was evident in his voice.

The redhead looked back over her shoulder at her three friends. Every one of them had an all too innocent look about them.

"Tanya, did you use the rest of our cash to bail her out?"

"Hell no! Everything we had didn't even begin to cover it." The little brunette said; her eyes wide.

"I…took care of it." Adam said quietly as if he was embarrassed by his own generosity.

"Adam…" Erica started. "You didn't have to…"

"I know I didn't. I wanted to."

"Look, I don't know how, but we'll pay you back." Tanya said turning to him. "It might take a while but we'll do it. Right Erica?"

"Of course we will. Just give us some time and you'll get it all back." She agreed.

"I don't want it back." The tall blonde said simply. "I'm just glad I could help her…er…help." He blushed. Mark raised an eyebrow.

"Son, if I didn't know better I'd say you had a crush on the kid." He grinned. Adam pulled his eyebrows together in a disconcerted frown and slumped down in his chair, crossing his arms in front of him.

"You do don't you?" Erica asked, a lopsided grin playing across her face.

"I…was just trying to help." He muttered, his face turning redder under the gaze of his three friends.

"He does." Tanya giggled, her nose wrinkling happily.

"So what if I do!" Adam squeaked.

"Then I'd say she owes you at least one real date behind all of this." Mark chuckled wryly and sat down a chair away from him.

"Don't tell her I sprung her." Tanya shot him a questioning look. "I…just don't want her to know."

"If you say so." Tanya said standing to stretch her legs.

"At any rate, thank you for the bail money." Erica said sincerely. "But what about the guy with the broken nose?"

"Taken care of." Adam smiled.

"What!" Tanya said louder than necessary. The officer at the desk glowered at her. "When did you do that?" The brunette continued a bit quieter.

"Right after he talked to the police. Sometimes being famous has its advantages." He grinned. The three of them were staring at him again. "What! I just walked over to him and offered him twice as much as the contest was worth if he'd leave her alone." Adam said smiling even as he stared down at his lap. "He went back and withdrew his statement."

"No, Adam…That's just too much money!" Erica protested. The blonde waved off her concern.

"What? It's one week's pay. I'm on TV, remember?" He chuckled.

"Well you're just full of surprises today aren't you?" Mark was laughing outright. Erica shook her head and moved to sit down on the big man's lap.

No sooner than she'd sat down, a door in the back opened and out walked Ashley with two officers trailing behind her.

"Hi everybody." She sounded very tired.

"Why did you hit that son-of-a-bitch?" Mark asked as the little auburn haired woman as she signed her name one final time. She shrugged.

"He was cheating. I don't like cheaters." She said simply and ran her hand through her hair exposing a hearty bruise along the right side of her jaw.

"What's that about?" Erica asked pointing to it.

"His friends weren't happy with me." She smiled ruefully. "But don't worry; I made them even less happy with me."

"Here you go ma'am." Another officer raised her attention holding a plastic baggy. "Your personal effects."

"Oh! Great! Everything's in there right?" Ashley asked looking the younger officer directly in the eye. He blanched slightly under her gaze.

"As…far as I know ma'am." He dropped the bag on the desktop and busied himself with paperwork. Ashley frowned at the top of his head and snatched it up.

"Hey, where's my pocket knife?" She blurted, dumping the contents out.

"It wasn't of legal size, we confiscated it." The older officer cut in.

"You can't do that!" She yelled, slamming her hands down on the counter.

"Yes they can little girl. Let's get out of here." Mark told her. He could see the situation getting worse, the longer he let her talk. The younger cop smiled nervously then nodded before quickly going back to the stack of papers. Ashley grabbed her wallet and shoved it into her back pocket. The rest of it, she left laying there.

"But they took it…" She grumbled as Mark put his hands on her shoulders steering her away from the desk and toward the rest of their group. Adam stood up as they approached.

"You okay?" He asked jamming his hands into his pockets.

"Yeah… I'm fine. I'd be better if I had my knife!" She shouted the second part toward the desk. No one behind the desk paid attention to her. The auburn haired woman glanced over to the desk and made a face at them before falling into Adam, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Hey! Wow, are you sure you're alright?" He asked again nervously and gingerly returned the hug.

"Can we go back to the motel now?" She whined. "Today sucks."

"Yeah. This whole night can suck my ass and swallow it." Tanya agreed and peeled her young friend off the blonde. Adam caught her hand as she turned away and brought it up to his lips, kissing it softly.

"I'm glad you're alright. I was worried. We were all worried." He grinned. Ashley opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. Suddenly, she smiled, nodding quickly and wandered toward the door.

Outside, Ashley took a deep breath and screamed as loud as she could out into the night. There was nothing for miles around the police station and a ghost of her voice came echoing through the desert back to her.

"Ahh…" She sighed contentedly. "I feel much better. You guys ready to go?" Tanya and Erica were staring at her strangely as the little girl walked calmly over to her bike. "Keys?"

"Oh yeah, here." The redhead said tossing her the ring. Ashley caught it as she slung her leg over the saddle and started the engine. Tanya and Adam were on their bikes and ready to go as well.

"C'mon baby girl, let's get out of here." Mark said walking his bike over to her. Erica smiled and hopped up behind him.

"Ready." She announced and scooted up to wrap her arms around him. The big man nodded and waved to everyone else. One by one they skidded out onto the highway and back toward the motel they were calling home that night.

The ride back to the motel seemed to rejuvenate Ashley. She parked her bike outside their rooms and hopped off dancing in circles.

"I take it you're feeling better." Tanya laughed pulling up next to the V-Rod and cutting her own engine. Ash nodded goofily and took a bow before yawning.

"Still tired." She said and stretched.

"Come my dear, let's get you to bed." Adam said softly reaching for her hand. Ash smiled and took his hand, letting him lead her toward one of the rooms. Tanya yawned and covered her mouth with one had, waving at her two remaining friends with the other and headed for the room Mark and Erica had been in before.

"G'night Mr. and Mrs. Calloway." She laughed before opening the door and disappearing behind it.

Mark cringed slightly and glanced over at Erica. She was looking at him strangely.

"What?"

"You didn't answer me the last time I asked." She said raising an eyebrow and shifted her weight with her hands on her hips.

"Are you really worked up about me trying to keep that kid's eyes in his head?" He asked. Erica shrugged noncommittally but kept staring at him. Mark frowned and shook his head. "Look, the way I see it, you're mine. I'm not about to stand for some punk kid eyeing you up like a piece of meat."

"Who said I was yours?" Erica asked. There was a hint of anger behind her words.

"Well…" Mark started crossing his arms. "I did." The redhead shook her head in disbelief.

"So you just made up your mind and that makes it law?" She took a step toward him. "I never said this was a forever thing Mark. Shouldn't I have some say?"

"That's how you feel eh?" He growled; his eyes narrowed.

"What am I supposed to do? Was I supposed to go back with you to wherever the hell it is you're from and give up my life? No, I don't think so."

"What do you have out here that keeps you?" Now Mark moved closer.

"What do I have?" Erica yelled. She couldn't believe he'd said it. "Look around! I've got the road; I've got my friends, what more do I need? What can your world give me Mark?"

"Someone who loves you." He said simply.

"You don't love me." She spat. "You barely know me."

"I thought I did. I was apparently very fucking wrong." He snarled.

"How could you even think that? What do a couple of weeks tell you about someone? Yeah, we get along. Yes, we're attracted to each other. Yes, we're great in bed together. But then what? You're on vacation Mark. This is my LIFE! When things go wrong out here I don't pack it up and go back to my little job and my little house and tell all my rich friends about this crazy chick I shacked up with!" Anger flared behind the big man's green eyes as she spoke. "No Mark. When I don't have enough money, I sleep on the fucking ground and find my way to the next bar I can hustle. Tanya and I have been out here for years. YEARS MARK! I won't give it up."

Mark put his hands up and turned his back to her. He didn't want to hate her but she was pushing all of his buttons. She didn't know what he had or hadn't done. How dare she insinuate he didn't know anything?

"Woman…" His voice was nothing but a rumble in his chest as he turned back to her and stepped dangerously close. He could feel the heat from her body, he was so near. "Don't you EVER assume I'm naïve. Do you hear me? I've got almost twice the years on you. I've been through more than you could imagine…"

"This isn't a contest, Mark. We're not playing 'whose life was harder'." She snapped and pushed him back.

"So that's how it is…" He grumbled looking down at his chest where her hands had been. "I might was well say all this now then, since it don't matter anymore."

"Who says it doesn't matter?"

"You do!" He yelled. "You say I don't love you, fine, think that all you want but it ain't gonna change anything little girl. When I said you were my soul mate I meant it. You are mine. You fit, I fit. That's just the way that it is."

"No, I don't belong to you. I don't belong to anyone." She said simply and folded her arms across her chest.

"Yes, you do. You're mine!" The redhead snorted and shook her head. Before she could respond Mark was on her, wrapping her in his arms and kissing her savagely.

"Let go of me!" She snarled. He held her tighter.

"Tell me you don't care about me!" The big man continued. "Tell me there's more to you that this selfish, self righteous, bitch!"

"Fuck you! Get the fuck off me Mark!" She growled against him, trying with everything she had to pull away. "Just let me go! Let me fucking GO!" She continued and kicked him in the shin.

"God damn it!" He roared and staggered back a step. When he looked up, Erica was stalking back toward their room. "When was the last time you let someone see past that hard assed, holier than thou, attitude of yours?" Erica stopped walking but she didn't turn around. "It's been a while hasn't it?"

"That's none of your business." She spat.

"Of course it's not. You won't let me in. You won't let anybody in."

"You don't know anything about me. Just let it go." She said tiredly, turning back to him finally.

"You're wrong. I know a lot about you and that's the problem. You are not what you pretend to be. I can see it in your eyes when you're layin next to me in bed. I see what you're hiding."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Erica asked skeptically and took a tentative step back toward him.

"What's that mean? I'll tell you exactly what it means. It means there's a fucking woman inside there!" He was all but laughing with frustration. Erica's eyes were as huge as saucers as she stomped back over to him.

"How dare you…" She hissed.

"I'll tell you exactly how. I came out here to find what I was missin and I found you! I know what you're doing out here, little girl. You're searching just like me. You know god damned well that this works but you're too scared to admit it. Pull your head out of your ass woman! You're not one of the guys. You play a good game but you're not, I've seen it!" He was all but pleading. "Underneath all this bullshit is the woman of my dreams and she's too fucking stubborn to let go and see where this leads!"

"You don't know anything." Erica said quietly shaking her head. Mark took a deep breath and looked up to the sky to try to catch his breath.

"Fine…" He began again. "Tell me you don't love me and I'll leave. You'll never have to see me again. I'm too old to play these games baby girl. Just tell me that somewhere under all that bad girl bullshit you don't love me and I'm gone." For a long moment, the redhead just stared at him. Then, as if ashamed of what was about to come out of her mouth, she dropped her head.

"I don't love you." She whispered still looking down at the ground.

Time seemed to stop. Mark felt as if he'd been punched in the gut. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't think. Her four words echoed over and over through his head. When he'd finally regained enough composure, he looked at her through a haze of tears he didn't know were coming. She was still standing in front of him, her arms wrapped around herself, staring at the ground.

"Alright then." He said bitterly and nodded before walking past her and throwing open the door to their room. He emerged a moment later with his saddlebags slung over his shoulder and Tanya, quite obviously in pajamas, hot on his heels.

"What the hell is going on?" She called out to Erica. The redhead just shook her head. Tanya rolled her eyes and continued after Mark as he pounded on the door to the room Adam was in.

Erica watched from a distance as the big blonde opened the door and spoke with Mark. Adam was rubbing his eyes, but nodded and disappeared into the room. He came out with his saddlebags as well.

"Mark…" Erica tried to say as they walked past her.

"Tanya, keep your girl on a leash." He snapped pointing at Erica but never looking over.

"Mark what's going on?" The small brunette asked as she watched both men reattach their bags. They were clearly preparing to leave and she wanted to know why.

"Ask the little hard ass. She knows. But ask her after we're gone. I don't want to hear her fuckin mouth right now."

"Adam?" Tanya pressed. The big blonde came around his bike and pulled her into a brotherly hug.

"I'm not sure either." He said and reached down for his wallet. Flipping it open, he pulled out a card and handed it to her. "This is my cell phone number. Give it to Erica and Ashley. Call me if you guys happen to be where we are and I'll get you tickets. Alright?" Tanya nodded. "I don't want to lose touch with you."

"I don't either." She said quietly and glanced over at her friend. Erica was standing in the same spot but her eyes were focused on nothing. "It's been a hell of a ride." Tanya said turning back to Adam. She couldn't help but smile when she thought of the last couple of weeks.

"Yes it has." Adam grinned in agreement.

"Adam! Let's GO!" Mark boomed over his shoulder and kicked over his engine, gunning the throttle in his impatience. The big blonde looked over his shoulder then back at Tanya.

"Call me. I don't care when, just call and please…please tell Ashley I'm sorry I had to leave without saying goodbye. Let her know I'll miss her."

"I will." The brunette smiled wryly and waved the card in his face. Adam nodded and looked over at Erica to say good bye. She didn't seem to hear him she was so lost in her own thoughts.

"Tell her I said g'bye too." He said giving Tanya another quick hug and hurrying over to his bike, tying back his long hair on the way.

Tanya stood in the gravel parking lot and watched them leave, waving as their tail lights disappeared around a turn in the dirt road. When nothing was left of them but the distant rumble of their engines she turned back to where Erica had been standing. The redhead was gone.

She sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of her nose. This whole night had given her a headache. Taking another deep breath, she walked back to her room.

"What happened?" She asked the unmoving lump on the far bed.

"He's fucking insane." Erica answered cryptically. She couldn't be sure but, Tanya thought her voice sounded thick; like she was crying.

The smaller woman stood there for a long moment waiting for her friend to elaborate. Apparently, she wasn't going to.

Tanya shook her head in the darkness and crawled back into her own bed. Tomorrow she'd drag the truth out of her.


	6. Chapter 6

Ashley squinted as light poured into the room from the open window. She let out a staggered yawn as she slipped out of the bed and made her way into the bathroom. She scrunched up her nose when she saw the nice bruise that formed along her jaw.

"Nice." She said to herself shaking her head as she walked back out of the bathroom, stopping suddenly when she noticed the other bed was empty. "Hmmm…" She thought to herself as she rifled through her road bag pulling out a pair of pants and a shirt. "Eh, whatever." She mumbled as she pulled the door open. Before she could nock Tanya flung the door open.

"Fine I won't wake you up." She chuckled. Ashley shook her head and pushed past her.

"Where's Adam?" She asked looking around the room.

"Why do you wanna know?" The pint sized brunette smirked as she busied herself going through all the little drawers in the night stand.

"No reason." Ashley said cocking an eyebrow up. Tanya giggled loudly as she pulled out a bible and retrieved a card from inside.

"For a good time call Bruce." Tanya busted out laughing out right. "You wanna call?" She giggled handing her the card.

"No I'm good." She said rolling her eyes. "Seriously where are the guys?" Ashley asked now realizing that Mark was gone too.

"You like him don't you?" She said flatly as she flung the bible back in the nightstand.

"What gives you that idea?" The slender auburn girl said flipping through the channels on the T.V.

"You do!" She beamed.

"What ever, where did they go?"

"Erica and Mark got into a big blow up fight last night and they took off." Tanya said plainly. "Adam told me to tell you he's sorry he didn't get to say good bye, and that he'll miss you, and that we can..." Tanya paused when she saw movement coming from Erica's bed.

"What time is it?" Erica grumbled barely peeking from under the cover.

"It's like 2." Erica let out a slight grunt as she disappeared under the covers. "Oh no you don't, you know what day it is?" Tanya said yanking at the covers.

"I don't freaking care." The tall red head spat yanking the covers back.

"Come on Erica we gotta leave now if we're ever gonna make it to Sturgis." Tanya said yanking the blanket and Erica completely out of the bed.

"I don't care! I just want to sleep." She yelled pulling the blanket back again.

"Erica we can't miss it, its Ashley's first time and..."

"I don't freaking care I don't want to go!"

"Erica we have to."

"Then go with out me." She snapped climbing back onto the bed.

"Erica!"

"I said I'm not fucking going, you can all go with out me!" She screamed.

"We've been riding together how long? And now you want to go our separate ways?" Tanya said her voice thick with anger.

"Tanya you don't understand."

"How am I supposed to know what's going on when you wont tell me. All I know is that my parents are going to be there and I haven't seen them in years."

"No ones stopping you." The tall red head scoffed.

"Is this what you want? You want to fight with me too?" Tanya yelled.

"No, I just want to..."

"You just want to sit here and have a pity party. I refuse to go with out you, and I refuse to miss it, now get your sorry ass out of that bed or so help me god I'm going to hurt you." Tanya yelled.

"FINE!" Erica yelled as she slowly dragged herself out of the bed.

"That's more like it." Tanya said flatly as she watched her friend drag herself around the room getting ready.

"Do you guys always fight like this?" Ashley asked when the room was finally silent.

"No, in all the years I've ridden with her this has to be the first time I've seen her a mess." Tanya said putting the last of her things in her saddle bag.

"If we're gonna go, let's go." Erica said as she came out of the bathroom putting on a pair of sunglasses. Tanya threw her bags over her shoulder and followed her friend out the door. Erica stalked out to her bike strapping her bags on with out saying a word to her friends.

"You ready for the greatest day of your life?" Tanya chuckled to Ashley as she climbed on her bike.

"Oh I can hardly contain myself." She said sarcastically.

"Just wait till we get there." Tanya chuckled kicking over her bike.

Erica pulled ahead leading her friends toward the highway. More than anything she wanted to stay in the comfort of her hotel room. At least when she was sleeping she could keep her mind on something else.

"You're mine." She scoffed thinking back to the night before. "How could he be so egotistical to think he could claim me?" She laughed out right. The heat poured down on her and her body screamed for her to stop, her mind was set on stopping, but she knew her friend was right. Now is not the time to stop. The road wound on and before she knew it she had lost her thoughts in the road. Tanya eased up next to her, pointing to a rest stop rest stop just ahead, then pulled in with Tanya leading the way. Erica slowed and smiled sighting a long stretch of bikes parked in front.

"Does this mean we're almost there?" Ashley asked killing her engine.

"Well not exactly but we definitely put a dent in it." Tanya said stretching.

"Hurry up in here so we can get back on the road." The tall red head said pulling her hair back into a tight pony tail.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say someone was in a better mood." Tanya chuckled.

"Let's just say, I'm home." She smiled. Ashley made her way in and came out carrying an arm load of candy bars.

"I'm good to go." She smiled toothily.

"Alrighty then, shall we my dears?" Erica sang.

"After you." The short brunette said kicking over her bike. Soon the three were back on the road now in the company of a large group of bikers.

"I'm home." Erica smiled. "This is much better than that stuffy hotel room." She chuckled as she gunned it down the highway. Erica smiled as Ashley pulled up next to her almost in awe of the stretch of bikers sharing the road. "This has been a crazy ride." She thought. "Who would have thought I would find another sister, and my soul mate."


	7. Chapter 7

The closer they got to South Dakota, the more bikes they shared the road with. It was as if at this time in mid-August, the four wheeled vehicles just bowed out and made way. It was like they knew they'd just be pushed to the side. The road in front of them was an endless column of bikes and semi-trucks and the whole world seemed to growl with the roar of V-Twins.

Erica had backed off for a while, letting Tanya lead their little trio as they shot north up I-25. Ashley pulled up next to her and pointed to a nearby exit. Apparently it was time to stop. Nodding her assent, Erica flashed her headlight at Tanya. The brunette slowed down and got over to see what the trouble was.

"Ashley wants to stop!" Erica yelled over the screaming wind. Tanya tipped down her sunglasses and glanced back at their youngest member. Ashley pointed again and merged onto the exit ramp. The two seasoned riders shrugged and got over with her.

"Where are we?" Ashley called to them as they hit their first red light off the freeway. Erica glanced around and shrugged.

"My guess is we're somewhere in Colorado. I don't remember passing out of it." Tanya offered.

"Let's pull in over there and check the map." Erica said as the light turned green and gunned her engine, easing in front of her friends before signaling and pulling into a truck stop that was up on their right.

"Ooh food!" Tanya and Erica glanced back to their excited third member and laughed. Ashley was halfway to the diner entrance before either of them had even made it off their bikes.

By the time they had gotten inside, Ashley was sitting at a table near the windows with three drinks and three menus. There was a guy there with her. Tanya raised an eyebrow to Erica then glanced back at him.

There wasn't anything outwardly menacing about him. In fact, he wasn't scary in the slightest. He looked to be near Ashley's age and his sandy medium length hair looked road worn. He was leaning over the booth talking to her in some old leathers that appeared to have seen a trip or two but both women were cautious.

"Ashley…" Erica said as they stepped up.

"Who's your friend?" At the sound of Tanya's voice, he looked up at them with brown eyes smiling.

"Hi, I'm Jessie." He held out his hand as he smiled a greeting. Erica frowned but clasped his forearm, shaking it.

"Whoa, I've never seen anyone do that except in old Viking movies." He laughed as if to make a joke out of his nervousness. Tanya shrugged and slid into the booth next to Ashley.

"Do you know why the Vikings shook hands like that Jess?"

"I figured it was some sort of warrior's salute." He said standing up straight and glancing back to his own table. For all the world, he looked like he was about to bolt.

"Actually, they shook hands that way because they didn't trust anyone, not even their own clansmen. They grabbed the forearm to make sure there were no hidden weapons." Jessie locked brown eyes to brown eyes with Erica and understood her meaning.

"Oh, No! I just saw a beautiful woman and I'd never have forgiven myself if I didn't at least say hello." He was taking a hesitant step back as he said it.

"He just came over to see if we were going to Sturgis." Ashley smiled as she spoke and glanced appreciatively at Jessie. Erica shook her head and chuckled but she couldn't deny that he was a good looking kid. He even had the million dollar smile but it didn't quite seem to reach all the way to his eyes. She'd seen that look before, she and Tanya both had more times than they could count over the years and Erica didn't like it, not at all. Judging by the expression in Tanya's blue-eyed gaze, she didn't like it either.

"Alright then Jess, why don't you sit down?" The redhead already knew what his answer would be.

"Oh no, I couldn't. Besides, I've got some people waiting for me." He was the pinnacle of politeness as he gestured over his shoulder at the other table. There were two people watching them. Erica flicked her eyes to Tanya and then to both of them. Tanya gave a minute nod of understanding and leaned back in the booth, shifting slightly until she was facing the kid and had a decent view of his friends.

"I guess we'll see you in Sturgis then." The redhead said and held her hand out to him again. Jessie reached for it then stopped and clasped her forearm the way she'd shaken his hand. Suddenly, his face paled. Erica smiled.

"Um…yeah, I'll see you ladies around." He tried to pull away but Erica didn't let go. "Hey, what's the deal?" The redhead didn't say a word; she just yanked his arm until he fell into her and reached inside his jacket.  
"Wow, that's a nice bag you're carrying. It doesn't quite go with your outfit though." She grinned retrieving a teal blue satin purse with an embroidered butterfly on it and dangling it by its drawstring.

"Hey! That's mine!" Ashley screamed. Erica tossed it to her.

"Make sure everything's in it." Jessie glared at the redhead as she spoke.

"It's all here."

"Oh good, then Jessie-poo can go back to his friends now." She said as she let go of his arm. He shook his head anxiously and backed away. He didn't glance toward his table until he ran into a waitress and was forced to.

"How the hell did he get a hold of that?" Ashley muttered as Erica sat down across from her.

"Did you leave it on the table?" Ashley nodded reluctantly as Tanya spoke.

"How'd you guys know he had it?"

Tanya put a hand up theatrically as Erica began to answer. "He was shoving something into his pocket when we walked in. We always tell you to keep your stuff close and you always leave it on the table. I looked down, noticed your little baggie wasn't there and tada…" Ashley's face turned a bright red and she hunkered down lower in her seat.

"Guess I'd better pay more attention." She giggled, brightening as if half their money hadn't just almost been stolen.

"Enough about that…" Tanya muttered reaching into her vest pocket and unfolding a ratty, well-used map in front of her friends. "So here we are…" She slapped the end of her butter knife down on a little red dot in the middle of a bigger green line. "Where we need to be is…here." She stabbed another red dot a little ways away.

"So we're in Longmont?" Ashley asked still staring at the original red dot.

"Somewhere near it, I'm guessing." The taller redhead said stretching out long ways in booth so just her boots hung out into the aisle.

"So that's roughly four hundred miles…" Tanya glanced down at her watch. "…and it's now three in the afternoon…So if traffic is good we should be in Sturgis roughly by ten-ish."

"Then let's go!" Erica said standing and tossing a ten down on the table.

"What about food?" Ashley moped.

"We can eat when we get there. You still have candy bars." At that sentiment, Ashley brightened and taking a last long drink from her soda, pushed Tanya out of the booth.

"Alright, let's go."

The three women turned at once and made for the door. Ashley looked back over her shoulder to see a dejected Jessie, hunched over his table and picking at a plate as he watched her leave. The auburn haired woman lifted her arm as if to wave goodbye and he lifted his head brightening a bit. Just as he made eye contact, Ashley flipped her hand and gave him a very choice finger, laughing as she slid through the glass door.

She was still laughing as they mounted up, and her two friends couldn't help but laugh with her. With a brief glance at her two partners, Erica kicked over her engine and roared out onto the street, heading for the onramp that would take them out of Colorado and closer to the only place two of the women had ever called home.


	8. Chapter 8

It was dark and nearly midnight by the time the three of them made their way into Sturgis South Dakota. All of the tension and road weariness they'd felt for most of the trip seemed to melt away when they saw the menagerie playing out all around them. There were bars everywhere with their doors wide open. Loud music carried out of each one and mixed with the constant rise and fall of revving engines to create a sound that to most would be chaos but, to Tanya and Erica it was the sweetest song in the world.

"How do you feel now?" Tanya laughed as they crept three across down Main Street. She watched her friend's eyes glitter with a light she only ever found this time of year.

"How do you think I feel?" Her smile was as wide as Tanya had ever seen it as Erica waved and reached over, shaking hands with a very large man they hadn't seen since last year. The redhead said something to him then gestured to Tanya and then to Ashley. The grisly old biker revved his engine and raised a fist to each of them before gunning his engine and disappearing in the opposite direction.

"Who was that?" Ashley yelled to them as a bike with particularly loud pipes shot past them.

"That was Bear; he's been coming here for years." Tanya answered. "He likes us because we're not like the rest of the women who ride."

As if right on cue, an old Indian rolled past with a woman on the back screaming as if her life depended on it. She had one arm wrapped around a weathered old man's shoulders and she was standing, waving her shirt over her bleached blonde hair.

"Yeah, we're not like that." Erica reiterated. The younger redhead nodded stoically and actually shook her head to clear the image.

"Ooh! Get over!" Erica called pointing up ahead. "Get over! We're going to One Eyed Jack's!"

"SWEET!" Tanya agreed and immediately forced her way into a column of bikes on her right. Ashley glanced from friend to friend and followed suit before Erica plowed into her.

Their bikes parked safely amid fifty thousand others, the three of them headed inside. Tanya and Erica seemed so at home in this environment, Ashley couldn't believe it. She followed close behind them as they entered. Immediately, she was blasted with the loudest band she'd ever heard! She winced slightly and grabbed a hold of the back of Tanya's vest to keep from getting lost.

It seemed to take them forever just to make it up to the bar. Every few moments, either Tanya or Erica would stop to shake hands or to pull someone into a boisterous hug. Each time they'd take a moment to introduce her and before she could run screaming, she'd be wrapped into the same big bear hug as her friends.

"I'll never remember all the names…"

"Don't worry; chances are they're too drunk to remember you either." Erica laughed.

"Well let's see… I've been introduced to Dog, Bear, Ice man, Unk, Dyer, Curly….Jesus; don't these people have real names?"

"I'm sure they do but we don't know'em." Tanya laughed as they squeezed up to the bar and held up their money. It took a minute or two but the bartender made his way over to them. He looked like the rest of the patrons. He was older with a scruffy graying beard and he was wearing a leather vest over his bare chest and rotund belly.

"What can I get you gals?" He asked with a thick southern drawl. Ashley began to order but Erica slapped a hand over her mouth.

"I've got this one. Three shots of Jose Cuervo." The old bartender nodded and walked away to pour.

"The traditional opener I see." Tanya smiled appreciatively. Ashley however, looked like she'd swallowed a frog. "What's the matter?"

"I don't do shots."

"Well," Erica slapped her on the back as she spoke. "Ya do now."

The bartender returned with three glasses and filled them to the brim. Tanya grabbed two and handed one to Ash as Erica paid the man and thanked him for his time.

"Alright ladies…" The tone of Erica's voice seemed to cut through the raging background noise as she raised her shot glass high above her head with Ashley and Tanya following suit. "To friends…" Both women nodded laughing. "To this wondrous place…" The redhead continued overdramatically. Her two friends gave a loud whistle to accentuate her point. "And finally…" Her head drooped just slightly. "To Mark, wherever he may be. May he ROT IN HELL!"

"DAMN STRAIGHT!" Tanya yelled clinking her glass off the other two and pounding it back, slamming her cup onto the bar in perfect time with Erica. Ashley set hers down a bit more slowly.

"Wow! That hurt!" The little auburn haired woman wheezed one hand to her chest as if she were trying to make sure the alcohol stayed where she put it.

"It's supposed to." Tanya chuckled as she ordered a second round.

Seven rounds later, the three women where laughing hysterically as Tanya and Erica told stories of the many years past. They'd found a table comfortably away from the craziness so they could hear each other. In between their multiple shots, more people had come over to say hello and offered to buy drinks. Ashley was still working her way through a big rum and coke and Tanya was sticking strictly to the shots they were buying. Erica however, drank whatever was set down in front of her. Her two friends were almost beginning to worry about her. Tanya had even said she'd never seen her this drunk. It was as if she were trying to drown the last couple of days in alcohol. Ashley on the other hand, had a sneaking suspicion that the only thing she was drowning was her liver.

"OK!" The redhead slurred leaping out of her chair and knocking it backwards. "We need more shots!"

"How the hell are you gonna get your bike out of here?" Tanya scolded her. Erica let out a very deep breath and waved off her worry even as she wobbled on her feet.

"I'll worry about it tomorrow. For now, MORE DRINKS!" She threw her hands up into the air as she spoke and, hopping happily in a circle, disappeared through the crowd toward the bar.

Erica didn't remember it being quite that hard to find the bar. Every time she thought she was close, she'd find an exit. Once, she even found herself standing in the bathroom. No, not at all, that was not where she'd wanted to be.

Staggering back into the main room, the redhead squinted and took a good long look around. Yes, there it was, right where she'd left it. It's location fresh in her mind; she made a beeline for it. She could see the old bartender's shoulder and, in her drunken anticipation reached into her back pocket for her wallet when WHAM! She hit a wall of flesh.

"HEY! Look out! I'm walkin here!" She grumbled and took two small steps backward to keep her balance.

"Looks like you're stumbling to me there baby girl." A deep rumble sounded from above her. Erica took two more steps backward and looked way up to see just who was talking to her. Her face paled when her gaze met his face. She took two more big steps backward.

"Don't go runnin…" Mark said and reached out catching her wrist. He couldn't help but laugh as she bounced back toward him when she had fallen back as far as her arm would let her. "Do you think maybe we could go somewhere a little quieter, I'd like to talk to you." Erica's eyes were glassy as he spoke.

"NO! I can't do that!"

"And why not little girl?" The big man drawled as the redhead stumbled again. Before he knew it, he'd put out his arm to catch her.

"See…" She slurred squinting up at him. "I'm kinda attached to somebody. I think I really fucked that up though…He looks kinda like you but he's…Texas." She grinned goofily as Mark set her back on her feet.

"He's Texas?" The big man couldn't control his laughter. Erica nodded furiously.

"YES! That's what I said… He's Texas! Are you even listening? Geez…" Mark shook his head almost sadly and before she could protest, he lifted her up off her feet until she was cradled in his arms.

"What the hell are you doing?" She screamed and for a moment pounded on his chest.

"Alright baby girl, point me to your friends." He chuckled. Apparently quieted, or distracted, he wasn't sure which, Erica laid her head on his shoulder and pointed feebly in the direction she was pretty sure they were in.

"OH my GOD…" Tanya breathed her eyes wide as she saw the big man work his way through the crowd. Ashley swiveled in her chair to see what her friend was looking at.

"MARK!" The little girl gasped and leapt out of her seat, tackling him around his waist. The big man actually had to lift Erica up a bit higher to keep Ashley from head butting her.

"Hey there little girl…" He chuckled as she squeezed his middle.

"What are you doing here?"

"I came up here to get away for a while darlin. I never expected to run into you guys." Mark said as he inched past Ashley and set Erica's inert form against the back of the booth next to them. "I guess she'll be alright there for now."

"I thought you hated us." Tanya's voice was cool and measured as she spoke. Mark shook his head and pulled off the blue bandana he'd had tied over his hair before he ran a hand through it as he sighed heavily. His eyes never left Erica.

"No kid, I don't hate you." He said quietly and sat down in Erica's chair. "I don't even hate her."

"You didn't have to leave…" Ashley's face was a cross between hope and misery. Mark reached over, squeezed her knee, and smiled.

"Yes I did. She made sure I did." His voice was the epitome of regret as he spoke.

"Mark, she didn't mean it. Whatever she said, she didn't mean it." Tanya sympathized. She didn't like that look on her friend's face.

"Ya know, an hour ago I wouldn't have believed you." He chuckled. "But she just finished tellin me she was with some guy and he was Texas."

"What?" Both women blurted.

"Yeah, she doesn't know I'm here." He was laughing a little harder at the memory. "She says I look a lot like some guy she's attached to but it got all messed up…and he's Texas."

"Don't you mean he's in Texas?" Tanya offered. Mark covered his eyes as a giggling fit overtook him and shook his head.

"Nope, she said that the guy she's attached to IS Texas."

"Yeah wow, she's really drunk." Ashley chuckled.

Suddenly Mark jumped and jammed a hand into his pocket. A split second later it emerged with his cell phone. The big man checked the caller ID and flipped it open.

"Hello?" He answered it. "Yeah, I know. Alright, I'm on my way. Okay bye." He flicked the little screen shut and shoved it back into his pocket. "I've gotta go. Adam's been waiting by the bikes for nearly half an hour." He said standing. Tanya and Ashley stood with him, each in turn wrapping him into a big hug.

"Are you going to be here tomorrow?" Mark shook his head at the tiny brunette.

"No, we're actually leaving now. That's why he's by the bikes. All of our stuff is on'em."

"Tell Adam I said hi ok?" Ashley asked him as he squeezed her petite frame to his chest.

"You know I will darlin. He'll be really sorry he missed you." Sucking a deep breath, Mark turned to look back at Erica as she dozed drunkenly behind them. "Take care of her for me alright? Lord knows she won't let me do it."

"We always do." Tanya reassured him. The big man nodded almost sadly and started to make his way toward the exit. "MARK!" Tanya yelled over the crowd. At first she didn't think he'd heard her it took him so long to turn around. When he did however, the look in his green eyes made her feel justified in what she was about to say. "She does love you Mark. I know she does." She watched as sideways grin slid across Mark's face and couldn't help but smile herself.

Tanya waved a quick goodbye and stood watching until he'd been swallowed by the crowd. When she turned back, Ashley was slumped in her chair, staring at the table, and biting softly on her lower lip.

"What's wrong?"

"I really miss those guys."

"I do too."

"I really wish Erica wouldn't have scared them off." Tanya nodded and sighed, glancing back at their prone friend.

"I suppose we'd better find something to do with her." She giggled. Ashley looked back at her and couldn't help but laugh. Erica had managed to slide down the booth until her head was wedged into the corner between the wall and the seat and her arm was sticking up at an odd angle. Her mouth was open and Ashley had the sneaking suspicion that if the music hadn't been so loud, she could have heard her snoring. "Stay with her, I've got an idea." Before Ashley could protest, Tanya had ducked through the crowd.

"Alright, I just acquired us a place to stay for the night." The brunette told her as she returned. "We've just got to get her upright and out the door first."

"Where are we staying?"

"My parents are camped here." Tanya grinned happily and grabbed Erica's leg, pulling her closer toward the end of the bench.

"OW! Fucker…" The redhead muttered then lapsed back to unconsciousness.

"Your parents?" Ashley's eyes were huge.

"Yeah, I haven't seen them in years. This'll be great!"

"Don't you think we should talk to them before we take her comatose ass to their place?" Tanya cocked her head slightly to one side, confused.

"Why would we do that?" Ashley shrugged and didn't mention it again. Tanya obviously knew better how things worked out here so, hoisting one side of Erica's inert form up onto her shoulder, she took a deep breath and decided to go with the flow.

"HEY! What's a girl gotta do to get a little help around here?" Tanya screamed as the two of them all but dragged their third down a dirt and gravel path lined with bikes and campers. Through the trees, Ashley could see glimpses of campfires and hear the din of laughter as she did what she could to keep Erica's feet under her.

"Who's out there?" A voice called from somewhere.

"Just tell Beast his only child is here!" She called back but never broke stride.

"Shhhhhh… You need to shuddap." Erica slurred as her head bounced with each of their steps.

"Well, at least she's not dead." Ashley chuckled glancing over at Tanya. For a split second, she looked away from her feet. Immediately, Erica went limp and tangled her legs around both of theirs. With a yelp, all three of them went down on the gravel below.

"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Ashley growled rolling Erica off of her lap. The red head landed on her back with a thump and a puff of air both conscious women feared would be her last. Tanya let go a small sigh of relief when her chest expanded again.

"Mark you… fucker…" Erica garbled trying feebly to roll onto her side. After three tries, she succeeded and curled herself into a ball. All the while, she muttered drunken curses, apparently at whomever she could think of.

"We should get her drunk like this more often." Tanya chuckled as she attempted to peel her friend's arm away from the rest of her body.

"Why the hell would you want to do that?"

"Because tomorrow, WOW is she gonna hate herself." The brunette laughed heartily finally coaxing her friend to a somewhat upright position.

"Somebody out there?" A voice called from the distance.

"Is that you Dark Wolf?" Tanya's tone held just a touch of laughter as she recognized the voice behind the flashlight that was coming closer to them.

"Tanya?" The man chuckled back as he walked through the trees and up to them. "I'll be damned; I didn't expect to see you here."

"Haven't gotten away from my parents yet huh?" The brunette laughed as she pushed the majority of Erica's weight onto Ashley and stood up, wrapping the man in a tight hug.

"'Course not. I've been waiting for you to come back. You know that."

Ashley sat staring at the two of them as they greeted each other. She'd met so many people that day but she had a sneaking suspicion that this one would make a lasting impression. He wasn't terribly tall. He was five foot eight if he was an inch with shaggy, shoulder length black hair and a goatee to match. He had the bluest eyes she'd ever seen next to Tanya's and they sparkled with delight as he gave Tanya a quick, but friendly, once over.

"Ashley, this is Paul but everyone out here just calls him Dark Wolf, or Wolf if that's easier." Tanya said happily. Ashley reached up to shake his hand. He crouched down slightly and clasped her forearm the way Erica had earlier that day.

"Nice to meet you sweetie." He said in a gravelly baritone before standing and wiping some dust off the knees of his battered denim overalls. "…and who's this?" He continued glancing down at the crumpled heap that was Erica.

"She needs somewhere to sleep it off." Tanya explained to him. Wolf shook his head chuckling and crouched back down pulling a purple bandana out of his bib pocket and wiped at her face. Erica's face transformed as if she'd bitten into a lemon and she flailed wildly at him.

"Calm down you…" He muttered and pried open her eyes one at a time. Finally nodding, he stood up jamming the bandana back into its pocket. "Well, she's not dead but she'll wish she was tomorrow."

"So we can bring her back to the camp?" Ashley asked, her eyes full honest concern.

"Of course you can. Any friend of Tanya's is welcome." Wolf chuckled producing a top hat seemingly out of nowhere and popping it onto his head. "This way ladies." He bowed theatrically and gestured with the flashlight.

Tanya walked to him smiling and pulled him into another hug before bending down to drape Erica's arm back over her shoulder.

"Come on Erica, time to get up." She grumbled as she tried to lift the redhead to her feet. Erica slid bonelessly back to the gravel.

"Get her legs. I'll get her shoulders." Wolf said reaching down and hoisting her effortlessly off the ground. Tanya nodded and she and Ashley each took a foot. Erica muttered a feeble protest then finally lapsed back into unconsciousness. "Okay, just down that trail to the right. You can't miss it."


	9. Chapter 9

Erica woke as she was dowsed in water. "What the fuck! Mother fucker!" She screamed as she came up swinging.

"Cool it child." A tall man said pinning her back down.

"Who the fuck are," She trailed off as Tanya stepped out from behind him.

"Erica I'd like you to meet my dad." She chuckled as Erica gave up all fight at once.

"G'morning hun." He laughed "A little hair of the dog?" He asked offering her a bottle of Jack.

"Ohhhhh." She muttered as she shot to her feet and disappeared behind a tree. Tanya laughed as she could here poor Erica losing the contents of her stomach.

"Well that will teach her." The old man laughed. "How was the ride? I take it not good from your friends night." He chuckled.

"The ride was fine…. She just…"

"I don't need to know. If she wants to tell me she will." Just then Erica returned from behind the tree.

"Oh my god that was horrible." Erica grumbled as she slid down to the ground. Tanya laughed and handed her the bottle of jack.

"How bout a beer instead?" Erica said giving a look like she just sucked on a lemon.

"Dad?" Tanya asked as the old man handed her and her friend a beer.

"When you lose that oh my god I'm gonna throw up feeling you can join me and Tanya's mom for some breakfast." He laughed as Erica flopped backward on the ground. Then he made his way over to the dieing camp fire a few feet away to add more wood.

"Man what a night." Erica sighed.

"Yeah." Tanya agreed lying back next to her on the ground.

"I had the strangest dream." Erica chuckled.

"Oh yeah what's that?" Tanya asked taking a drink of her beer.

"Well I was at the bar and I saw Mark and…"

"It wasn't a dream." Tanya blurted cutting her off.

"What?" Erica asked in an almost panicked voice.

"Yeah they were here." Tanya producing a cigarette lighting it.

"Were?" She asked meekly lighting a smoke of her own.

"Yeah they left last night." Tanya said taking a long drag off her cigarette.

"Oh…" Erica sighed. "What happened last night?" She asked.

"Well as you know you were tanked." She laughed.

"Yeah I know that part." She said rolling her eyes.

"Well Mark was at the bar last night and all I know is you went to get another drink and disappeared for a while and when you came back Mark was carrying you. OH and apparently he's Texas." She laughed at the memory.

"He's Texas?" The tall red head chuckled softly.

"Yeah don't ask me, it probably made perfect sense in your drunken stupor." She laughed out right. "They stopped in here on there way back home." Tanya sighed.

"Damn." Erica said sitting up and putting out her cigarette. "Tanya man…" The red head trailed off Tanya sat up to look her in the eye. "I really fucked up." She said taking a large drink of her beer.

"I know." Tanya smiled removing the bottle from her hands. "But let's not do that again." She laughed chucking the beer into a garbage can.

"Man I miss him." She said as a forced smile took over her face. "How could I…." She said shaking her head.

"Because it scares you?" Tanya offered.

"You know what the worst part is?" Erica wiping tears out of her eyes. "I can't fix this. I really fucked up this time." She said flopping to her back again. "I can't even call him to say I'm sorry." She said lighting another cigarette. "But what ever, it's over now." She said as the same forced smile worked its way over her face.

"It's not over." Tanya said finally.

"Oh and why do you say that?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"What if I told you I have a number where you could reach him?" Tanya said almost excited.

"You do?" Erica sat up quickly as a large smile spread across her face.

"Adam gave me his number before they left." Tanya smiled.

"But you know for damn certain Mark hates me." Erica sighed.

"Hate? That's not what he said last night." She offered pulling a crumpled piece of paper out of her pocket.

"He doesn't?"

"No, Not at all." Tanya smiled waving the piece of paper in front of her face. "Okay then… Okay… we… just have to find a phone." Erica said grabbing the paper.

"Not before we eat." Ashley blurted.

"Where the hell have you been?" Tanya asked as she climbed to her feet.

"I woke up a little before you guys and Paul decided to show me around." She smiled. "Where is that bastard?" She laughed.

"He had to take off this morning." A small woman not much taller then Tanya said.

"MOM!" Tanya blurted as she hugged her for what seemed like forever.

"Yeah, he showed me around before he left." Ashley smiled as she was handed a plate with eggs and bacon on it.

"Thank you sir." She beamed. Tanya's dad grabbed his chest in fake pain.

"Sir?" He whined. "You can call me beast, or dad, or James…. Just not sir, Mr. or anything like that…makes me feel old." He continued to mutter as he pecked his wife on the cheek.

"But hun, you are old." She laughed sticking her tongue out at him.

"Wow I can say with out a doubt those are your parents." Erica laughed as she set down her now empty plate.

"You guys about done sulking?" Her dad chuckled handing Erica a plate of food.

"Yeah I'm about done feeling sorry for myself." Erica laughed as her and Tanya shared an all knowing look.

"Well good then." The tall brunette said taking a large drink of his beer. "So when are you guys heading out?" The short woman said hugging her daughter again.

"I'd say about an hour." Tanya smiled to her friend.

"Why the rush if you don't mind me asking?"

"We have to find a phone. And chase destiny." Tanya giggled.

"You sound like me." The old man said taking his wife's hand.

"Well you guys better hurry." The old man smiled pulling his wife to him in a small kiss. Tanya pounced to her feet hugging her mom and dad.

"I'll see you guys next year." She smiled fondly at them and headed down the dirt road to find where they had left their bikes.

"Thank you for everything." The tall red head smiled.

"No problem, any friend of our little Tanya's is a friend of ours." Erica smiled awkwardly as she was pulled into a hug by both of Tanya's parents.

"Well thank you… again." Erica smiled then followed behind Tanya.

"I guess that means me too." Ashley smiled hugging her friend's parents tightly then running to catch up with the other two.

"Your parents f'n rule." Ashley grinned as she caught up.

"Yeah there cool." Tanya smiled back.

"So you go a whole year with out seeing them? Don't you miss them?" Ashley asked.

"Yeah I miss them, but I have a life out here." Tanya sighed.

"So you'd never consider going back and staying with them for a while?"

"If I'm living my life right I shouldn't have to." Tanya said stopping to light a smoke. "Besides I made my dad a promise, I won't come back till I have life experience." She chuckled.

"Yeah good luck with that." Erica burst out laughing.

"AH HA!" Tanya squeaked spotting the bikes next to the bar.

"Okay which direction shall we go?" Tanya asked swinging a leg over her bike.

"Ummm I'd say east I think I saw a phone a bit back that way." Erica said putting on a pair of sunglasses and pulling her hair back in a tight pony tail.

"Alrighty sounds good to me." Tanya laughed kicking over her engine. Ashley followed the two out on the road. She knew from the moment she left her ex behind life would be different, but she had no way of knowing how the road sucks you in. She found her self attached to these two women that had really become sisters. Part of her understood how these girls where happy going one place to another, but a part of her was torn as she looked back and saw Tanya's parents at the edge of the road waving at them as they pulled out. How could they deny themselves the right to get attached to anyone? How could they just leave everything behind? She shook it off as she pulled up next to Tanya who had a huge smile stretched across her face.

"I guess I'll figure it all out one day." She sighed as they continued down the road.


	10. Chapter 10

The phone was further away than they originally remembered. Apparently the cell phone revolution that seemed to pass the three women by hadn't passed anything else by without leaving its mark. It was a good forty-five minutes before they found a small roadside general store with a working pay phone.

"Here, call." Tanya commanded. The redhead's eyes got huge.

"Um…no. Why…why don't we make Ash call? She's the one Adam likes and all." Erica's voice was an octave higher than it should have been as she thrust the piece of paper with Adam's number on it toward Ashley.

"Hey wow no!" Ashley's eyes were almost as large as Erica's. Tanya sighed dramatically, snatched the scrap from Erica, and yanked the receiver off of its cradle.

"Since you're both gigantic chicken shits, I'LL do it." The small brunette looked down at the card and began punching numbers. She glanced over at her two friends as the phone rang and had to laugh. Each of them wore the same expression. It was a mixture of fear and anticipation and Erica looked like she was going to cry or have a stroke. Tanya wasn't sure which. "Hey Adam, its Tanya…"

"Tell him I say hi!" Ashley blurted. Tanya swatted in her direction for quiet.

"Look, I hate voice mail so I'll make this short. Certain…impulsive members of our little group have realized the error of their ways…" She glared pointedly at Erica as she spoke. The redhead blushed fiercely and turned away. "Tell Mark that we called. We miss you guys. We'll try to call again soon. Later." She hung up.  
"Voice mail?" Erica asked. Tanya gave her a weird look but nodded. "Damn."

"Don't worry, you'll get to tell the big man you're an idiot soon enough." Tanya grinned and headed back toward the bikes. Erica opened her mouth to retort but stopped short as Ashley doubled over laughing.

"What's your problem?"

"Wow, were you an idiot. _He's Texas!_" She wheezed mockingly.

"Oh ha ha…" Erica said dryly. "Yes, I made the biggest ass EVER out of myself last night. I think we've covered that." The younger redhead shook her head and, still chuckling, followed Tanya.

"Come on! Let's GO!" Tanya called over as Erica stood gaping at her friends. "The road… there's lot's of it, remember?" Erica waved them off but grudgingly walked over, swinging a leg over her bike and kicking over the engine.

"Lead on!" Ashley laughed and motioned for Tanya to take the lead. The pixie woman grinned maniacally and, revving her engine, took off down the road away from Sturges. It hadn't been a long visit this time but there were more important things going on and her parents would be there next year.

Tanya didn't know why but it felt like something was pulling them forward. So they hadn't managed to get a hold of Adam. It wasn't a big deal, they would. It was inevitable. If there was one thing Tanya knew it was that unfinished business had a way of finishing itself. So, she didn't sweat it. No big deal.

The brunette glanced back in her side mirror. Erica looked like she was smelling something rancid. Tanya couldn't help but laugh. Her friend had herself so worked up about this thing with Mark and Tanya just couldn't see why. It was so clear in her mind. All they had to do was talk. Everything would be fine. Erica just couldn't see past her own stupidity.

"Wow were you stupid…" Tanya chuckled to herself and gunned her engine jumping ahead of her friends.

It was edging toward dusk as the three women started feeling the wear of the long ride. Erica had taken the lead a few hours back and her eyes were starting to close without her. She shook her head violently and flipped on her headlight.

"Just great…" She muttered. "We're in the middle of no where." Suddenly she laughed. Apparently all the time they'd spent with Adam and Mark had made her entirely too comfortable with a motel at the end of every day. How many nights had she and Tanya slept on the edge of the road? She couldn't remember, it'd been so many.

With that thought, she cut back on her throttle and paced Tanya.

"I think it's about time we show Ash what it's like to sleep under the stars!" She yelled to her friend. Tanya smiled wickedly and nodded.

Erica nodded back and slowed a bit further to pace Ashley. The poor little girl looked like she was ready to fall out of her saddle.

"What do you say we stop for the night?" Erica called over.

"WHAT?" Ashley screamed back. Erica rolled her eyes and slowed further, motioning for her to do the same. Without the excess wind, Ashley could hear her better.  
"I said, I think it's about time we stopped for the night!" She tried again. This time Ashley nodded then screamed pointing ahead.

Erica's head whipped around just in time to see the truck come barreling out of the empty land beside them. Her stomach dropped. She knew she'd never get there in time but she had to try. She gunned the throttle and tried desperately to reach Tanya. How did she get so far ahead? They hadn't slowed that much!

"Tanya, look OUT!" She screamed over the roar of her engine but it was no use. The truck slid up onto the asphalt and into the side of Tanya's bike. The two redheads could only scream as they watched her tip and skid sideways down the road, her leg trapped under the machine.

"No, NO, NO!" Erica was screaming as the wind whipped her hair out like an arrow point behind her. Tanya's leg had come loose and she was rolling bonelessly to a stop beside the road. Her bike however kept going, leaving pieces in its wake.

"HOLY SHIT!" Ashley screamed as she rolled to a stop beside Tanya. "She's NOT MOVING!" Erica dumped her bike as gracefully as possible and ran back toward her two friends. When she got to them, her stomach tried to heave. The battered body on the side of the road was NOT Tanya. There was no way it could be. Ashley was hyperventilating as she gently dabbed at the blood on Tanya's face. "Oh no no no no no…"

"Tanya…Tanya can you hear me?" Erica said trying to keep her voice steady. Someone had to maintain control of this situation and judging from Ashley's reaction it wasn't going to be her. Tanya didn't respond. There was so much blood. The redhead took a deep breath and tried to think what to do. They hadn't passed anywhere that looked remotely inhabited in hours.

"Hey…Is…is sheokay?" A voice behind them slurred. Erica felt her blood heat but it was Ashley who took the initiative. The little girl's head snapped up and toward the voice.

"You Son of a BITCH!" She screamed and bolted toward him, jumping onto his back. "YOU FUCKING KILLED HER!" She shrieked as she tried to claw his eyes out. The drunk was flailing wildly, trying desperately to dislodge her. He wasn't having much luck. "I'll KILL YOU!" She raged even as the drunk finally got the better of her and she fell unceremoniously to the ground.

Erica stood up, leaving Tanya as comfortable as she could against the shoulder and ran over, scooping Ashley off the ground before she made a second run at him.

"Jesus…" He muttered rubbing at his scratched forehead. "Fuckin crazy bitch…"

"You!" Erica began pointing at him, her eyes as hard as black glass. "Do you have a cell phone?" The man in the truck staggered around in a circle before acknowledging her.

"Huh?"

"DO…YOU…HAVE…A…CELL…PHONE?" The redhead tried again more slowly. Ashley was back with Tanya to prevent her from going after him again.

"Yeah why?"

"Give it to me." She stalked over to him. "Now."

"For what?" He was backing slowly away from her. Erica glanced back at her two friends and took a deep breath. No, she could not hit him. If she hit him, she'd go to jail too. Instead, she pushed past him and began rummaging around in the cab of his truck. "What the fuck are you doing!" He called after her.

"Don't fucking come near me!" She screamed back as she reached into the pocket of the driver's side door and found what she was looking for. The redhead quickly pulled up the antenna and dialed 911. "Yes, there's been an accident…a motorcycle accident. My friend's bike was hit by a drunk driver. Yes, he's still here….Um… Where are we?" She mentally swore. How could she not know where she was? "Hey Fucktard! Where are we?" She called over her shoulder to him. He was still standing, mouth agape, staring at her from a few feet away.

"Wha…?" He muttered.

"WHERE ARE WE?" She yelled. The man ran a hand through his greasy unkempt hair and told her. Erica relayed the information to the operator and hung up, throwing the phone at him.

With a final glare, she stalked past him and back to Tanya.

"Is she…Is she breathing?" Ashley nodded as she cried. Erica took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she crouched down beside her. Yes, Tanya was breathing but her face was dangerously pale. The redhead could only hope it was the dwindling light.

"Whassa matter with her?" The drunk's voice said from directly behind them. Erica watched Ashley's eyes harden. "Look, she ain't dead…" He muttered and kicked Tanya squarely in the ribs. Before Erica could move, Ashley was on him again growling savagely as she tried to gouge his eyes out with her thumbs.

"You need to fucking DIE!" She snarled as he backed up and tripped over his own feet, falling to the cement. Ashley fell with him, forcing her weight down on the arms that were restraining hers.

"Whoa, fuck this…" He swore throwing Ashley off of him and jumping to his feet, breaking for his truck. "What the fuck?" He screamed as he slapped at the ignition.

"Looking for these, mother fucker?" Erica growled waggling a set of car keys over her head. His eyes got huge with disbelief. "You're not going anywhere." The drunk climbed out of the truck and began making his way toward her when they heard the first sirens approaching.

Once the paramedics arrived, the night became a blur. The drunk was taken away once Ashley and Erica gave their statements and his truck was impounded. The EMTs loaded Tanya onto a backboard and into their waiting ambulance hastily giving the two women directions to the hospital before they were gone in a screaming, flashing, life saving rush.

The two women climbed onto their bikes and tore off after them.

When they arrived at Sioux Valley Hospital everything immediately came to a screeching halt. The old woman behind the desk would give them no information.

"I'm sorry; unless you're relatives I can't tell you anything. You'll have to wait for the doctors." She said. Both women had to restrain themselves. "I suggest you take a seat in the waiting room." The 'patient advocate' said snidely and pointed a gnarled finger toward three rows of chairs across from her desk. Reluctantly, they went.

"What are we gonna do?" Ashley whispered once they were seated. "We can't pay for this."

"I know…" Erica muttered and crossed her arms under her breasts. Her eyes were heavier than ever. All she wanted to do was fall asleep and pretend the last few hours had never happened. She was on sensory overload. No way was Tanya hurt. She couldn't be! Any minute now, she'd come hobbling out of the double swinging doors and say "Ha! Gotcha!" She had to.

The redhead closed her eyes to the burning behind them. It wasn't time to cry yet. They didn't even know if there was anything to cry about yet. But for some reason, she couldn't stop it.

"God I wish the guys were here." Ashley said more to herself than to Erica and slumped down lower in her plastic hospital chair. Erica nodded her agreement then jumped to her feet. "What are you doing?"

"I'm calling Adam." She said resolutely and walked over to the pay phone, Ashley trailing behind her.

She glanced down at the crumpled paper in her hand and punched the numbers, then waited. By the third ring, she was losing hope. Then suddenly…

"Hello?"

"Adam? It's…"

"ERICA!" The blonde gasped from the other end of the line. Erica had to hold her breath to keep from sobbing over the phone.

"Hello?" Another voice came across the line. The redhead's stomach dropped.

"Mark?" She asked but there was no need. She'd have known his voice anywhere.

"Yeah baby girl, it's me." The tears she'd been trying so hard not to shed came full force.

"Mark, Tanya's been in an accident." Her voice shook as she spoke but she pressed on. "I…we don't know if she's okay."

"Ah hell, where are you?"

"Sioux Falls. Sioux Valley Hospital. Mark they won't tell us anything." She was sobbing full out now. It was so good to hear his voice!

"How long have you been there?" He asked.

"I…I don't know. Maybe an hour." She guessed. "I don't know what to do. I can't fix this."

"Baby girl, I've got to go. Can you hold tight and call me as SOON as you find out anything?" Erica's stomach dropped at his words. He had to go.

"Yeah…sure."

"Okay. Call me as soon as they say anything, alright? Take down my cell number." Erica said of course she would and scribbled Mark's number down right next to Adam's. "Alright, I've got to go. Talk to you soon."

"Mark!" She had to catch him before he hung up.

"What?"

"I…I'm sorry." Her voice was a whisper.

"Don't worry about that now. Just call me." The redhead nodded.

"I will. G'bye Mark." She tried to make it sound normal around the lump in her throat.

"Later Baby girl, never good bye." Then he was gone.

Erica returned the receiver to the cradle and slumped, sliding down the wall to the cold, antiseptic hospital floor and let all the crying she'd been holding onto loose.

"What did Mark say?" Ashley asked quietly sitting down beside her friend and wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"He says to call him as soon as we hear anything."

"Is that all he said?" Erica nodded and began sobbing harder as Ashley pulled her to her feet and guided her back to their chairs.

"Erica?" It was Ashley's voice. She knew that but she was so tired.

"Couple more minutes…" She grumbled and tried to roll over in her chair.

"Erica, wake up." The younger woman said more forcefully and nudged her.

"WHAT!" She barked as she turned back over and glared at her friend, then past her.

"Hey little girl."

"Mark?" She saw him nod but couldn't make sense of it. "Are you…here?" The deep rumbling chuckle was proof.

"Yeah baby girl…"

"Oh my God…" She breathed and launched herself into his arms, the tears starting all over again. "How? How did you get here? What are you doing here? Oh my God Mark, I'm so sorry. I…I didn't mean anything I said that night…" She was babbling.

"We were only about an hour away. Adam sends his love. He's sorry he couldn't make it." If she didn't know better, she'd say his voice sounded strained. Strange how he didn't mention her apology…

"You must be Erica." A strange voice cut in as the redhead reluctantly broke off the embrace.

"Baby girl, this is my brother Glen." Mark said stepping slightly aside.

"Yeah, hello." She blushed as he held out a hand to her. "Sorry, I'm usually much more composed than this."

"Not a problem. I hope you don't mind me tagging along. Mark was in such a hurry to get out here I didn't think it was such a good idea for him to drive all this way alone."

"We don't mind. Do we Erica?" Ashley chirped smiling. Glen looked down and smiled back at her. He was easily as big as Mark but that's where the similarities ended. His head was shaved bald and his eyes while hazel weren't quite as green as his brother's. The two of them however, were more than obviously related. They even stood the same way. It was like looking at two oversized cowboys. They each stood, hands in their pockets with one hip cocked slightly to the side.

"It must be Texas…" Erica thought to herself as she watched them both. Even though she'd felt him against her she still couldn't quite believe they were there.

"Have they said anything to you yet?" Mark asked taking a chair. Impulsively, Erica sat down on his lap.

"No, nothing yet." Ashley said, the smile she had worn fading.

"Don't worry, she's gonna be fine." The big Texan said resolutely, his certainty bolstering both women's courage.

"Castle? Erica Castle?" The redhead spun toward the sound of her name.

"That's…that's me."

"Could you come with me please?" A woman in a white uniform said curtly and, without waiting for her, disappeared through the double swinging doors. Erica took a deep breath and with a quick glance at her friends, followed.

"Is…is she alright?" She managed to breathe catching up with the nurse.

"She's quite banged up. She's got a concussion, her leg is broken, and there's quite a bit of nasty road rash but it looks like she's going to be fine." Suddenly the nurse smiled toward her. The smile softened her features and put Erica instantly at ease.

"Oh thank the Gods…" She breathed. The nurse, Elaine judging from her nametag, placed a soft, reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, your friend is right through here." Elaine said and held a curtain open. Erica thanked her and ducked inside.

"Hey…there you are." Tanya's voice was rasping and dreamy. Her black hair was plastered back and gauze covered more than half of her face but she was grinning weakly.

"Don't you ever pull a stunt like that again." Erica chuckled even as she cried and sat down pulling a chair up next to Tanya's bed.

"Someone's got to keep you on your toes." She smiled then winced. "Erica, I didn't even see him coming."

"There's no way you could have."

"When can I get out of here? I need to get my bike and…"

"I don't think we're going to be taking your bike." Erica's voice was filled with remorse. Her bike was trashed. There wasn't even enough left to tow.

"It can't be that bad. I'm alive. If it was that bad I wouldn't be…right?" Erica shook her head.

"It's scrap man… I'm sorry."

Tanya closed her eyes and took a slow deep breath. "I guess it's for the best I mean, it's not like I could ride with this now could I?" The brunette reached down and flipped the blanket off of her leg. From ankle to hip was white cast.

"Jesus…" It was all Erica could muster.

"Is Ash here?" Tanya's voice was starting to lose its strength. Apparently whatever they had her on for the pain as beginning to kick in.

"Yeah she's in the lobby."

"I'd have called her back too but…I don't know her last name." The last part of the sentence came out in a giddy giggle.

"She's not the only one in the lobby." Erica grinned. She couldn't help herself. Tanya cracked one eye open waiting for her friend to elaborate. "Mark is here."

"What?" Tanya blurted and immediately regretted the volume. It made her head feel like a piñata on Cinco de Mayo. Erica opened her mouth to explain when a quiet coughing distracted her.

"We're going to be moving her to a room. I'm going to have to ask you to return to the waiting area." The nurse said but didn't move from the curtain. Sighing heavily, Erica took the hint and stood.

"As soon as they let me, I'll bring them back." She said and reached down to squeeze her friend's hand. Tanya nodded and closed her eyes as the nurse led her friend out of the Emergency room.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Author's Note**: Sorry about thedistance between chapters! I will try to post more often. Happy reading! As always thank ALL OF YOU who've sent me suchwonderful reviews! _

* * *

Tanya woke to see her friend slumped over in a chair next to her bed. Slowly she sat up adjusting her eyes to see Mark with his arms tightly around Erica. "Mark?" She said loudly rechecking to see if it was actually him.

"Tan-yea? Tan-yay?" The nurse asked stepping into her room smiling at her.

"Tanya." She answered almost heatedly.

"Okay hon I need you to sign these, you get to go home. Aren't you happy?" The nurse said energetically.

"Yay wee." Tanya said snatching the pen out of her hand scribbling quickly across the paper.

"Erica!" Tanya yelled again, chucking a stuffed animal at her friend.

"Wha..." the red head said spotting her friend try to get out of the bed.

"No Tanny you need to use your crutches." The nurse said holding them up for her.

"It's Tanya, Bertha!" She snapped yanking the crutches away and hobbling down the hallway.

"My name is Betty, not Bertha." She said to her self handing Erica several pieces of paper. "Make sure she takes these twice a day just in case there's an infection and these three times a day for the pain, and these at night if she can't sleep." The nurse said explaining each subscription.

"Okay." Erica smiled toothily as she followed quickly behind her friend.

"I believe you're Tanya?" A tall muscular bald man said extending his hand to her.

"And who the crap are you?" She asked cocking an eyebrow up at him.

"I would be the guy you yelled at for calling my brother." He smiled.

"Ummm what was your name again?" she smiled almost evilly.

"Glenn." He smiled shaking her hand.

"Righty-o." She smiled turning her attention to Erica and Ashley.

"Where are we going tonight?"

"Yeah, Good question." Erica relented.

"Ummm." The small auburn haired girl said looking apathetically to Mark.

"You're coming back to our hotel." Mark chuckled wrapping his arm around Erica. "If it's okay with you I'll ride with you." He smiled pulling the redhead tightly to him.

"Right, yeah." Erica said dreamily almost lost in Marks eyes.

"And I'll be?" Tanya trailed off as Glenn opened the passenger door to his truck and adjusted the chair.

"I'll be driving you back." Glenn smiled softly and continued with what he was doing.

"Okay then, I'm about ready to go." Tanya chuckled shaking a medicine jar. Glenn smiled helping her inside then chuckled as she quickly fell asleep.

"Is she always so…"

"Feisty?" Mark laughed.

"Umm that's one way of putting it." Glenn said running a hand over his scalp.

"It just takes Tanya a while to warm up to you is all." Erica laughed climbing behind Mark on her bike.

"So until then I have to worry that she'll stab me?" He asked.

"She's an angry little girl, not a murderer." Erica roller her eyes, hugging Mark tightly as he kicked over the engine.

"Right." Glenn sighed to himself as he climbed behind the wheel. He drove silently, not even turning on the radio. He was too afraid of waking the very sleepy Tanya. Forty-five minutes into the drive Tanya finally woke up.

"Are we there yet?" She asked still wiping at her eyes.

"No not yet," He answered without taking his eyes off the road.

"Bummer." Tanya said staring out the window.

"Well, we're almost there." He offered.

"Rock on." She half smiled still staring out the window. "Ummm." She began as they pulled up to the hotel. "Thank you for putting up with me." She said quietly before Erica yanked the door open and helped her out.

"How the hell did you beat us here?" Tanya asked as Ashley killed the engine to her bike.

"Cause Mark has to be a big shot and show how fast he can go." Glenn chuckled as he passed by and held the door open to Tanya.

She didn't even get fully inside of the lobby when she spotted a very familiar face standing near the desk. "TANYA!" Adam squeaked from inside running over and carefully hugging her. "Are you okay hon? I would have gone, but I had a match and… I'm sorry." He sighed hugging her again.

"It's alright everyone and there brother where there." She laughed at her own joke.

"Question two, who are we staying with?" Ashley asked.

"Um Ashley you can stay with me….If you want." Adam offered blushing as Mark gave him an awkward look.

"I think me and you have a lot to talk about, Red." Mark said gently pushing a lock of Erica's long red hair out of her face.

"I agree." She smiled.

"And I will go stay on a bus stop." Tanya laughed.

"Or you could crash in my brother's room." Mark said smiling at Glenn.

"Umm…yeah…okay." Glenn said looking to Tanya half expecting her to be mad.

"That too could work." She laughed. "Okay then, why are we still in the lobby?" Tanya giggled as she started to make her way to the elevators.

Glenn shook his head and quickly walked ahead of her to push the button. Breaking an awkward silence, the doors opened and they all piled in. After a couple minutes of everyone staring at each other dumbly, Mark leaned forward and pressed the button.

"Soooo..." Erica said barely above a whisper. "Food." She chuckled.

"Lets get short stop into bed and we'll go grab a bite, Okay?" Mark smiled at her. Erica nodded a response as the doors opened.

"Wow." Tanya sighed as she carefully stepped out of the elevator.

"What?" Glenn asked.

"This is one mighty big hotel." She giggled. Glenn shook his head as he passed her by, leading her down the hall way.  
"Are you okay with this?" Ashley asked as she walked with Tanya towards Glenn's room. "Yeah I'm fine. I'm too tired to care." She laughed. "Are you alright staying with Adam?" She smirked.

"I think I'll manage." The smaller redhead laughed evilly.

"Righty-o why don't you kids run off to bed then, and remember…safe sex." Tanya called loudly as Ashley lowered her head blushing and quickly followed Adam down the hallway.

Glenn shook his head taking the lead as he fumbled through his pocket for the key.

"You know if you felt the sudden urge to wait for me I wouldn't be offended." Glenn stopped suddenly realizing his pace. "Thank you." Tanya squeaked as she finally caught up with him. Glenn stepped to the right quickly opening the door for her. Tanya hobbled into the room and plopped down on the bed.

"You guys can go get food now if you want." Glenn offered as he stood in the doorway.

"Alright man, G'night." Mark said taking Erica's hand as he started down the hallway.

Glenn smiled as the door closed and slowly turned to face Tanya. "Do you need anything?" He asked as he made his way into the bathroom.

"No I'm good." She said not moving from her spot. Finally Glenn reappeared from the bathroom in a pair of what appeared to be running shorts.

"Um can I get a blanket off the bed?" He asked standing over her.

"Why?" She ask slowly sitting up.

"So I can get some sleep." He said smiling gently and pulling at the blanket.

"Aren't you going to sleep in the bed?" She asked scrunching her eyebrows up.

"Ummm…" He said trailing off. "I… I'm not a whore." He said awkwardly.

"Ummm yeah, I don't believe I said that." She laughed loudly. "Hon this is your bed. There is no way I'm putting you out." She said still laughing. Glenn sighed heavily as he slid in next to her. Quickly, Tanya wiggled around and pulled herself under the covers.

"Umm thank you." She said smiling up at him as he turned off the light.

"Uh yeah…No problem." He said nervously as she leaned up and kissed him briefly on the lips and rolled over quickly falling asleep.


	12. Chapter 12

Mark had to chuckle at his brother's discomfort as he and Erica made their way back to the elevators. It hadn't been their plan to stick Glen with Tanya but it could be good for them both. Glen had been alone entirely too long and Tanya… Well, she was just persistent enough to open him up. _Yeah, everything works out the way it's supposed to…_ The big man thought to himself and chuckled.

"What are you laughing at?" The redhead on his arm asked grinning up at him.

"Not a thing baby girl…not a thing." He reassured her and lifted her hand to his lips as they walked up on the elevators.

"I think those two will be good for each other." Erica said as she slapped the down button. Mark's eyebrows shot up slightly. It only reinforced his soul mate theory. She was thinking the same thing he'd been. "I mean, I don't know your brother at all but…I don't know. Call it a feeling I guess."

"I couldn't agree more." He said pulling her into the lift as the doors slid open. "I'm glad Adam finally pulled his head out of his ass too." He laughed again. "Any idiot with two eyes can see the crush he's got on Ash." It was Erica's turn to raise an eyebrow. "What?" The big man squeaked under her quiet consideration.

"That was quite an astute observation, old man. I didn't figure you for the type to think much about the love lives of your friends."

"I'm not Dr. Phil or anything but they are my friends…" He began haltingly. Great, now she was going to think he was some kind of big teddy bear. Just great…

"…and you want the best for them…" She continued for him. Mark grimaced as a grin broke out across her face.

"Of course I do." He blustered. "Doin our job we don't get a lot of time to date or…or anything really. When somethin good comes along I like to see them take it."

"You big softy." She laughed as the elevator dinged their floor.

"Only for you, baby girl." He grinned back as they strolled into the lobby and toward the restaurant.

* * *

"Here ya go…" Adam said as he opened his hotel room door and held it for her. "It isn't much but at least it's a warm bed. Right?" Ashley nodded and slowly dropped her saddle bags into a heap on the floor.

"Thanks for letting me crash." She muttered and perched herself on the edge of the bed.

Adam's eyebrows pulled down into a frown. Why did she seem so nervous? "Any time." He responded watching her as she scooted back a bit and folded her hands in her lap. "It sort of feels like nothing ever changed." He continued walking over to the window and pulling back the curtain. From the floor they were on, he could see almost to the horizon.

"Almost…but we can't see the bikes from here." She agreed albeit wistfully.

"Are…you okay?" He asked. She hadn't moved at all.

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I be?"

"You just seem, I don't know, nervous." There, he said it.

"No I'm not." She said simply.

"Well, you're acting sort of strange." He pressed. He knew he shouldn't but if they were going to be roommates again this invisible wall had to go away.

"How am I acting strange?" She asked him and stood up, crossing her arms under her chest. Adam's stomach lurched into his chest as he looked at her. She was so beautiful standing there with that irritated frown on her face and her arms crossed, her hips cocked ever so slightly to the side… Adam made himself look up at her face.

"It just seems like since Mark and Glen brought you guys back here that you've been kind of subdued."

"What did you expect? Tanya nearly died. I guess maybe I haven't gotten over that yet. I never thought anything like that could happen." She said turning her back to him as she finished.

"But Tanya's going to be fine. Yeah, her leg is all banged up but it'll heal. It's alright now." Part of him was annoyed to be talking to her back.

Heaving a long sigh, Adam cautiously took a step toward her. Just as he was reaching out to touch her shoulder she spun around to face him. Adam nearly fell backwards.

"Um…are _you_ alright?" She laughed as his foot caught the edge of the bed and nearly sent him sprawling.

"Of course I am." He grumbled and plopped down on the foot of the bed.

"That little display did not say 'Gee Ashley, I sure am fine'." She continued sarcastically. Adam wrinkled up his nose and swatted feebly at her arm. Ashley laughed and dodged away, grabbing a miniature bar of soap off of the dresser and chucking it at his chest. "Gotcha." She grinned. Adam couldn't help but grin too. _This_ is how he remembered her.

"Oh yeah? Well…" He began, an impish twinkle dancing around his eyes, and launched himself at her. Ashley shrieked as she tried to run away but it was no use. The room wasn't big enough to hide in and his legs were much, much longer.

"Lemme go!" She giggled as he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her off the floor.

"Say the magic word." He teased as his fingers dug into her ribs, tickling mercilessly. The redhead continued to fight him but it was difficult. Adam had one arm wrapped around her waist from behind while he tickled her side with his free hand.

Ashley squealed and squirmed but it was no use. She could feel the tears of laughter streaming down her face.

"What…magic…word?" She managed as she fought, kicking her feet feebly at the air under them.

"Just say…" He began as he thought, his hand slowing against her ribs as he did. Ashley took the opportunity, spinning herself around in his grasp and attempting to gain some of the upper hand. Adam dropped her but only for a second. Before she could react and run he hoisted her up over his shoulder. "Just say, Adam is the king and I am sworn to please him."

"Yeah right!" She barked and pounded on his back with her little fists. Adam flinched theatrically and dug his fingers into the back of her thigh. Ashley shrieked and tried with all her might to throw herself backwards but Adam's arm held her legs firm.

"C'mon! Say it!" He roared and spun her around.

"Kiss my ass!" She cackled and chanced an elbow to the back of his head. Adam staggered slightly and redoubled his efforts.

"That's it! Say it or I'm gonna make you pee!" He grinned and on a whim, bit down on the side of her thigh. Ashley screamed and slapped at him even as she laughed.

"Fine! But I'll pee on your head!"

"Whoa…" Adam gasped and pulled her forward until she went careening down onto the bed. "That's so gross."

"But you let go." Ashley grinned wickedly and tossed a pillow at him. Adam was slow on the draw and it bounced off the side of his head.

"That was so unnecessary." He said plainly. Ashley stuck her tongue out at him and reached for the other pillow. Before she could get to it, Adam grabbed her ankle and dragged her down the bed.

"Noooo!" She squeaked and tried to claw her way back toward the headboard. Adam wasn't going to let that happen. He yanked her back and put his knee on her thigh to hold her still before dropping his whole weight on top of her back.

"I've got ya now." He breathed into her ear. "Now say it before I'm forced to tickle you again."

"No. You can't make me." She pouted playfully and tried to wiggle but it was no use. There was no hope of escape with two hundred and forty pounds on her back.

"Say it…" He giggled and went to work on her ribs again. Ashley laughed so hard she couldn't draw breath but Adam didn't stop. "Say it and I'll stop." He continued laughing.

"OKAY!" She blurted once she managed to breathe. Immediately, Adam moved his hands and eased up to his hands and knees over her. Ashley grunted and rolled onto her back to glare up at him as she caught her breath.

"And what do we say?" He grinned, his blonde hair falling forward over her like a golden curtain. He looked entirely too smug. It made her want to kick him…really hard. Instead, she looked up through her eyelashes and gazed at him as innocently as she could muster.

"Adam is the king…" Ashley began sounding more than bored.

"And?" He prodded, smiling down at her as she crossed her arms in front of her.

"And…I'm going to kick his ass!" She squealed and grabbed him by the ribs, tickling for all she was worth. Adam didn't budge. The redhead changed her tactic and moved to his armpits. It had a similar effect.

Adam dropped himself back down and crossed his arms over her shoulders. "Did I mention I'm not ticklish?" He giggled. Ashley growled and punched him in the side. With a sharp exhalation, Adam wilted off to her side laughing.

"Well _that_ worked." She grinned and rolled onto her side, propping herself up on one elbow.

"That's not fair." He pouted. "I've got a match tomorrow and if I lose it I'm blaming you."

"Oh no you don't. Blame your writers." She laughed. Adam scowled at her and turned to face her resting on one elbow as well.

"Damn. I thought for sure that'd work." He smiled. It was the most gorgeous smile Ashley had ever seen and she couldn't help but smile back.

"I know a little bit about what you do, kid." She muttered, looking away suddenly. She could feel her face going red but for the life of her she couldn't figure out why. Maybe it was his eyes. Something behind them had changed. Ashley had always loved looking at them. From the day she and her friends had run across them in that Podunk bar on the side of the highway she'd noticed the way his hazel eyes showed every emotion that played across his face, and she'd loved it. But now, there was something different there. There was as softness in them she'd never seen and it made her chest flutter.

"Ash…" He said quietly. The fluttering increased as she looked up and saw the seriousness on his face. "I…" Adam began again but the words seemed to stick in his throat.

"What's wrong Adam?" She asked as his eyes floated down to the gaudy hotel bedspread beneath them. The blonde shook his head and took a deep breath.

"Ash…" This time his mouth stuck open after he got out her name. Ashley raised an eyebrow at him. Yeah, and he said she was the one acting weird.

"I'm gonna get something to drink. Do you want anything from the vending machine?" Ashley said and began raising herself up off the bed. The tension had gotten too much for her. Twice he'd tried to say something and it obviously was difficult for him. It was time for a discreet exit and some time to defuse the situation.

She heard Adam swear under his breath and then he was on her. The blonde pulled her down to him and kissed her with all the passion of the words he couldn't seem to say.

Ashley gasped against his lips. They were as soft as she imagined they would be as he carefully pushed forward, willing her mouth to open for him. It didn't take long. Since the night in the police station she'd wanted to make something happen but by the time she'd gotten up the nerve, he had left. She'd lost her moment and she'd tried to put it all out of her mind.

Adam rolled onto his back, pulling her with him without breaking the kiss. Ashley moaned softly and wrapped her arms around his neck so his head was pillowed on them as he moved to her cheek, trailing his lips like butterfly wings against her soft skin.

"Adam…" She whispered. Adam stopped but didn't remove his lips from her jaw. "What took you so long?" Ashley laughed when she felt his breath in little puffs against her neck. He was laughing but there was no mocking or teasing in it. It was a pure expression of relief.

"I was afraid you'd hit me." He chuckled holding her up by her shoulders so he could look into her face. The little redhead's eyebrows pulled down into an exasperated frown.

"You've got to be kidding me." She grumbled. Adam began laughing harder and settled her down onto his chest again. "Adam…"

"What?" He giggled.

"Shut up." She grinned and lowered her mouth to his again.

* * *

Mark handed the waitress his credit card and the bill and turned his attention back to Erica. He frowned. Since they'd come down for lunch she'd gotten quieter and quieter and he didn't know what to do to make it better.

"Baby girl?" He said and shifted so he could lean closer to her. "You alright?" Erica looked over from the window that had held her attention for the past ten minutes and nodded. Mark grunted. "You sure don't look alright."

"I'm okay baby." She assured him but her tone was unconvincing.

"Talk to me girl. That's what I'm here for." He said reaching over to place his hand over hers.

"I…just think too much is all." She was brushing him off and he knew it.

Mark swallowed the angry comment that was forming on his lips. "What are you thinkin about?" Erica opened her mouth but stopped when the waitress returned his card and had him sign the little slip of paper. The big man smiled and turned back to Erica but the waitress didn't leave. Mark's eyebrow shifted upward minutely at the redhead across his table before he glanced back up at the waitress.

"Taker, I'm sorry to bother you but is there any way I could get an autograph for my son?" She blustered as she fumbled inside her apron for a battered sheet of magazine paper.

"Sure thing darlin." He smiled and took the proffered item. Straightening it out, he grinned. The page was so old he had to laugh as he showed it to Erica.

The redhead raised an eyebrow at it.

"What's with the purple gloves?" She said as he bent to sign it.

"It was a long time ago." He muttered to her then glanced up at their waitress.

"Thank you!" She gushed and flashed him a big bright smile before turning to Erica. "I'm so sorry to interrupt you but he's eight and if I told him I waited on the Undertaker and didn't get him an autograph he'd never speak to me again."

"No problem." She smiled as best she could even as her stomach dropped to her feet. This was more attention than she was used to even if it wasn't directed at her.

"There ya go. Tell him I wanna see him at one of our shows soon." He grinned and winked as he passed the paper and pen back.

"Oh I will!" She smiled. "Thanks again, you two have a great day!" Finally, she hurried off.

"Now, where were we?" Mark asked catching her with his deep green eyes.

"Don't worry about it Taker." Erica waved him off. "It's nothing. Just me being weird." Mark's eyes darkened.

"My name's Mark." He said dryly and stood up. Erica closed her eyes and counted to ten. Sometimes, her mouth ran away with her. "Are you comin?"

"Yeah." She muttered and took his outstretched hand. "I'm sorry I called you Taker." Mark shrugged as they made their way back through the lobby.

"Remember when I asked you not to call me that?" He said as they caught an elevator. Erica nodded. "I met you as Mark. You weren't a crazy fan, you didn't even know I was famous."

"Mark…" The redhead tried to cut him off but he placed a finger over her lips for silence.

"No, this is important. It's sort of part of that talk we still need to have." He said and grinned as she kissed his finger. "You didn't care about the money, or the prestige, or any of it. You seemed to like Mark just fine."

"I did…" She began. "I do. It's just…strange I guess."

"Strange how?" He asked quietly as they stepped out onto their floor and made their way down the hall. Erica was silent until Mark unlocked the door and let them inside his room.

"Let's just say I don't know how to deal with 'famous'." She said plopping down against the headboard. The big man sat down, scooting her toward the wall and crossed his arms over his chest as he looked at her.

"Is that what's bothering you suddenly?" He asked carefully. He didn't want to put words into her mouth but he needed her to talk to him. Since he took off that night with Adam in tow he'd regretted the fight they'd had but it had been valid in his eyes. She wouldn't open up. She couldn't talk. He'd shared his feelings with her that night, albeit badly, but he'd thought for sure she'd reciprocate. He'd been so sure they were on the same page that when she went off it'd made him think. She was so closed up and used to hiding behind her bad girl persona that she'd forgotten it wasn't all of her. It was time for her to let it go if anything was going to come from the two of them.

"I suppose that is part of it." She muttered noncommittally and sat back against the wall to face him. The look on her face nearly broke him. Her dark eyes were darker still and he could see the tension in her jaw. This was really hard for her, harder than he thought it would be. Mark put a reassuring hand on her thigh and gave her an encouraging look.

The patience in his eyes nearly sent her into a crying fit as he squeezed her leg gently. Erica knew she had hurt him and she wished to hell she could take it back. She couldn't of course, but she was about to try to make it better. If only she could make her voice work. It had been a long time since anyone but Tanya had seen this side of her. Ashley had seen glimpses of it but her breakdowns were a more private affair. She hated it, being wrong, having to apologize, having to admit how she felt. Even if the man watching her was deserving of it, it still felt like she was losing a little bit of herself by letting him in. Briefly, she glanced away from him to gather her thoughts.

Mark's hope deflated when she looked away. She couldn't do it. It made him want to punch something. "It's alright darlin…" He began sadly and moved to stand up. "We'll just take it slow.". He hated the words as they came out of his mouth. _Take it slow…_ What he should have done was show her the door, but…he couldn't seem to make himself.

"No!" She blurted and grabbed his wrist. "This isn't easy for me. Just give me a minute. Please?" The knot in his stomach eased slightly as he settled back down, trying to look as patient and unthreatening as possible.

"Take your time baby girl. I've got all night."

Erica took in a shuddering breath before she started. This was not going the way she'd hoped it would. The redhead had hoped she could say what she needed to tactfully and intelligently but the tears bullying their way out of her eyes refused to let that happen. "You were right." She said finally and looked away as a droplet snuck by and worked its way down her cheek.

"I was right?" He asked quietly and rubbed her knuckles with his thumb.

"That night…when you left. You were right about me." Her voice quavered but she'd gotten the first part out. Mark reached to move her hair out of her face but she pulled back slightly. Not yet, she didn't deserve comforting just yet she had to get everything on the table first. "You scare me Mark, so much."

"I'm sorry little girl." He muttered, his voice nearly inaudible. Erica shook her head.

"No, don't be. You scare me because you make me want to be all those things you talked about. You make me want to let it all go and take the chance."

"But…" He prompted. His heart was pounding out of his chest.

"I…don't know how anymore." She whispered. The tears were winning and she hated the weakness. "I am the same woman you met in Arizona. I'm the same stubborn, pushy, bitch who didn't want to attach herself to anyone but…" She stopped and squeezed her eyes shut. "I do want you."

"Baby girl…" He chuckled and finally succeeded in brushing the hair behind her ear. There was no way he was going to let her hide behind it. He wanted to see her face when he spoke. "I found a pushy, stubborn, fearless, loving, woman right after I asked the Powers that be to show me what I was missin." She opened her eyes and he smiled at her. "I wouldn't have you any other way." Taking a deep breath, Mark touched her face, gently wiping away a tear as he did. "I'm too old for casual anything. I told you how I felt, and I meant it. All I need to know now is, do you feel it too?"

Erica's chest felt like it was going to explode. He deserved to hear the words, but she'd be damned if she could make them come out. She'd made a career out of pushing complications away and there, holding her hand, touching her face, and looking at her with so much emotion in his green eyes, was the biggest one she'd ever faced…and she wanted it.

"Jesus Mark…" She whimpered and wiped at her wet eyes. "Why is this so hard?"

Mark found himself wanting more than anything to pull her to him and tell her it was alright but he wouldn't let himself. She was trying and he wouldn't disrespect her by taking it away from her. Instead, he laced his fingers through hers and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"I love you, baby girl." It came out of his mouth before he could stop it. Erica let out a tired sigh and he knew the timing was wrong. _Damn it old man,_ he thought to himself, cursing his impatience but it was too late.

"Mark you don't even know me." She cried and slid her hand out of his, curling herself up in the corner.

"I know you better than you want me to." He started. "That's the problem."

"No…" She shook her head but he didn't give her a chance to finish.

"I know that you are strong and that when you love someone you love them with your whole heart. I've seen it in the way you are with Tanya and Ashley. That's why it's so hard for you to let me in." She shook her head again but he wouldn't be put off. "You say I don't know you? I learned all I need to know just watchin you be you."

Erica's face was a mask of pure hopelessness. "Mark, what's my favorite color?"

"What?" The question took him off guard. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Just answer me."

"Black." He guessed. The redhead chuckled ruefully and shook her head.

"What kind of music do I listen to? What's my favorite thing to eat in the morning? What size bra do I wear? Do you know the answer to any of them?" She was crying frustrated tears as she spoke.

"That stuff doesn't matter." His response threw her.

"How can you say that?"

"I know what I need to know. I know we fit. We fit from minute one, darlin." He said and took her gently by the chin, turning her face toward his. "All the rest of that stuff? We'll pick it up as we go along." Erica felt the weight recede from her back as he spoke. Suddenly, she couldn't figure out why she'd been resisting. Of course this was where she was supposed to be! It was like a fog parting.

"So you're willing to take the chance huh?" She asked and Mark was almost positive he saw the corners of her mouth twitch up a bit.

"Darlin, you say the word and we'll make this work. I know we can."

Erica took a slow, deep, breath and let it out. "Ask me again."

"Ask you what, woman?" He said raising an eyebrow.

"Ask me what you asked me before you left that night." She said even as her insides turned to goo. Mark smiled and suppressed a chuckle. He knew where this was going.

"Do ya love me darlin?" His grin was suddenly contagious. Erica couldn't keep it from turning into a laugh.

"Yeah…" She paused scooting closer and taking his hand again as she looked in his eyes. "I do."

Mark burst out laughing as he scooped her up and sat her down on his lap. He couldn't believe she'd said it. It was like an anvil had been lifted off his shoulders and judging from the way she was giggling with him, she felt the same way.

"Now I've just got to figure out how to deal with the famous part." She smiled and kissed him.

"That part's the easy part. Smile for the cameras and let everyone see that I've got good taste." He grinned. Erica swatted his arm. Mark laughed harder and brought her to him, kissing her. He knew he was squeezing her too hard but he couldn't help himself. All the waiting and the worrying and the 'what ifs' were gone and he'd be damned if he was going to let her get away again.

"Let's get out of here." She said suddenly. "I need to take a ride."

"That sounds like a plan." Mark said kissing her again as he lifted himself, and her, off the bed before setting her down on her feet. "Tonight, we'll ride and tomorrow I'll show you what I do for a living."

"Just get your helmet old man." She laughed and followed him with her eyes as he walked to the closet to retrieve it.

* * *

"Dinner?" Adam asked poking his head into the bathroom while Ashley threw on her make up.

"Absolutely. I'm starving." She smiled and turned around to face him. Part of her still couldn't believe everything that had transpired through the afternoon. Adam had been so wonderful since their little wrestling match. Not once had he pushed her for more than she was willing to give. That would come in time, he'd said and kissed her. It made her want to melt. "Do you think we should check in on Tanya and Glen?"

"Probably. They're on the way to the elevator so we'll pop in and see if they're up to tagging along." He agreed and walked over to wrap her up in his arms. Ashley nearly melted again. It felt so good to be that close to him. So many times when they were riding across the desert, she'd thought of what it would be like to touch him like this but never did the little redhead think she'd have the chance. On the road, Adam had been a great friend and with Erica and Tanya to ride with, she'd been inclined to leave it that way. Now however, she couldn't have been happier.

"Well come on then." He said kissing the top of her head. "Let's get the ribbing over with."

"Ribbing?" Ashley asked skeptically as she looked up at him.

"I am never going to live this down." He chuckled and slid out of her arms as he made his way back to the other room.

"What is that supposed to mean?" She grumbled and crossed her arms.

"It means, when Mark gets wind of this, I'm going to get a whole lot of 'I told you so's'." Ashley smiled as the realization hit her.

"I take it you mean you were talking about me?" Her tone was teasing as she watched him pull a clean shirt over his head. Adam paused briefly. She almost would have called it a flinch.

"Just wait and see." He grumbled and turned to her with a room key in his hand. "Let's go eat." Ashley rolled her eyes playfully but followed him out the door.

Once in the hallway, Ashley made a beeline for Glen's room. She really wanted to make sure Tanya was alright. She'd been her usual punchy self in the elevator but the younger woman was sure it was a put on. She had to be in pain.

"Where are you going?" Adam asked from behind her.

"To Glen's room." She answered simply. The tall blonde broke out into an infectious smile and took her arm.

"Then we go _this_ way." He chuckled and steered her around to the other direction. Ashley felt her face heat as the blood rushed to it but Adam didn't seem to notice. He'd laced his fingers through hers and set off. "Ya know…I really like this." He said after a while.

"Like what exactly?" Adam stopped walking and turned to look at her.

"I like being with you." He smiled and brushed a hand across her cheek and down the side of her neck. "I just never thought you'd want me." Ashley rested her hand over his and leaned up, planting a kiss against his lips. It still thrilled her that they were her lips to kiss.

"Neither did I." She giggled, her tone teasing, and sprinted down the hall. Adam stood, mouth agape, and watched her go.

"Oh ha ha. That's really fun kid." He called after her. Ashley turned to face him and shot him a million dollar smile before ducking around a corner.

"Come get me!" He heard from where he stood and had to laugh. She was something alright. He was so glad he'd taken Mark's advice and told her how he felt.

He could still hear her laughing from the other hallway and, a mischievous smirk creeping across his face, he took off after her.

Ashley squealed and ran faster when she saw him barreling around the corner after her.

"I'd stop if I were you." He laughed. Ashley's eyes got huge. He was much closer than he should have been. Glancing behind her, she squeaked and pushed harder as she dodged to the left. He was easily within reaching distance. Adam followed her movements and scooped her up, throwing her over his shoulder.

"Here we go again." She muttered and started pounding on his back again.

"You know, I get beat on by bigger every day." He informed her as he turned and walked calmly back toward Glen's room. She'd flown past it in their pursuit. "Well, well…What do we have here?" He muttered.

"What?" She asked from his back.

"Isn't this interesting?"

"Isn't what interesting? I can't see anything from here, ya know." She grumbled and kicked her feet feebly. Adam laughed and turned so his back and her front were toward the door.

"See?"

"Do not disturb…" Ashley giggled and flicked at the plastic tag hanging from the door handle. "Oh my."

"I know. I didn't know Glen had it in him to try to take advantage of cripples." Adam laughed. Ashley frowned and wiggled down to the floor.

"He…wouldn't." Her eyes were a green fire. Adam reached down and kissed her forehead.

"No! No sweetheart! Glen is absolutely not that kind of guy." He reassured her. Ashley nodded as an evil grin broke out across her face.

"Tanya might." She giggled. Adam's eyes were suddenly huge as he smiled back at her.

"What do you say we leave them _alone_…" Adam chuckled putting all the emphasis on the last word. Ashley wrapped her arms around his waist and nodded into his chest.

"Good call." She agreed.

"Well then, let's go eat." Before she could get moving, Adam hoisted her back onto his shoulder and started briskly down the hall.

* * *

"PUT ME DOWN!" Erica heard as she followed Mark out of his room. Glancing up she had to laugh. Half way between her and the elevators she could see Adam spinning in a circle with Ashley over his shoulder.

"Would you get a load of that." Mark muttered beside her as he settled his arm on her shoulder. "Hey son, there are better ways to get her to go home with you!" He called after them. Adam stopped and turned.

"That's it, you're in so much trouble now." Ashley laughed as her feet hit the floor again. "Hi Mark!" She all but sang.

"He wouldn't be taking advantage of your virtue would he?" The big man asked, narrowing his eyes playfully at Ashley as the two couples met down the hall. "I'd hate to have to kill him."

"Absolutely not." Ashley smiled as Adam pulled her back to lean against him.

"No man, we're good. I promise." The big blonde was all teeth and sunshine. Mark glanced down at Erica and raised an eyebrow.

"Is there something we should know about?" The redhead asked, her eyes dancing with humor. Ashley glanced up at Adam. Strangely, his lips seemed to have disappeared.

Suddenly Mark burst out laughing.

"I told you so, boy!" He cackled and punched him in the shoulder.

"See? What'd I tell you?" Adam muttered down to Ashley and kissed the top of her head.

"Finally pulled your balls out of your throat and did something. I'm proud of you." Mark continued. He seemed all together too pleased with himself.

"Leave them alone. Can't you see they're in that _stage_ in their relationship?" Erica said, needling the older man in the ribs.

"Stage, what stage?" Adam blurted, his face going a peculiar shade of red. "And for that matter, who said anything about a relationship?"

"See what I mean?" The redhead grinned up at Mark. The big man nodded and shifted his helmet in his hand.

"I see it." Mark agreed. "Let's leave the lovebirds alone."

"You guys are just sooo funny." Ashley said dryly but the younger woman couldn't keep the grin off her face. Adam cleared his throat.

"So uh…what are you guys up to?" He offered weakly. Mark raised an eyebrow and held up his helmet.

"Goin for a ride." He verbalized just in case the hint wasn't obvious enough.

"You guys wanna come?" Erica continued.

"No!" Ashley and Adam blurted simultaneously. Mark and Erica took a step back.

"We're going to get some dinner." Ashley clarified. "We were going to see if Glen and Tanya wanted to come but well…" She snickered. "They appear to be occupied."

"Really now?" Mark smirked. "Looks like your girls not wastin her time." Erica hit him in the ribs.

"Keep a leash on your brother man." She laughed.

"I'm sure they're fine." Mark muttered. "Glen's not that kind of guy."

"If I thought for half a second he was, it'd be you shacking up with him." The redhead raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms as she looked at him.

"Right…" Ashley muttered. "Well, we're gonna go now."

"See you tomorrow Taker." Adam said and held his hand out to the older man. Mark grinned and took it, pulling him into a fatherly hug.

"I'm happy for ya kid." He said and ruffled Ashley's hair. "See y'all tomorrow."

"Bye guys." Erica smiled as she watched her younger friend walk away with Adam's hand laced through hers. It was good to see. Ashley had left everything she knew to find something good in her life. The redhead could only hope that she was looking at it.

"You ready to go baby girl?" Mark said kissing her on the cheek.

"Lead the way." She grinned and snaking her arm around the big man's waist, the two of them headed off to their bikes.


End file.
